Let’s just cut to the chase here: if you’re reading this, there is a good chance you want to know how to make friends as an adult. I only assume this because when I Googled “Bumble for friends,” it was because I wanted to know how to make friends. I wanted to know what other girls like me experienced while using the app.

As you might have guessed, being that the title of this blog is “My Bubble BFF Experience,” I’m going to share with you how the app worked for me. Now, a little disclaimer here: I live in a very small town. So, more often than not, after a few swipes left and right, I ran out of viable candidates and had to wait for more people to get on the app. This is not the same experience for everyone. From what I’ve read, for those who live in bigger cities, the pool of potential friends is endless and overwhelming. In a small town, it is anything but. Nevertheless, that is not to say using Bumble for friends doesn’t work in small areas, but depending on where you live, your experience may differ a little.

Setting Up Your Bumble for Friends Profile

Bumble BFF uses the standard dating app layout. You create a profile with information about yourself. You add pictures, fill out cute little “get to know me” prompts (if you want), and try to make yourself look as friendly and fun as possible. At least, that’s what I did. 

Bumble for friends gives you the option to be as specific or general as you want. You can also share as little or as much about yourself as you desire. From your drinking habits to your relationship status to your religion, you can put something or nothing. I chose something. Even though it’s true that you get fewer swipes on dating apps as a Christian, I was looking for quality over quantity in terms of friends. And if someone didn’t want to be my friend because I’m a Christian, I’m okay with that. (I was pretty picky in terms of who got a right swipe from me anyway, but more on that in a bit.)

Here is a glimpse into what my Bumble BFF profile looked like. Yes, I used emojis in my profile, and yes I tried to be clever in what I wrote. You’ll also notice a lot of photos with my sister (remember, I need friends; that’s the whole purpose of this adventure).

Bumble BFF says the more photos your profile has the better in terms of people matching with you. So, I just went all out and added photos, notes, and filled in all but one of the basic information icons. (I didn’t put my “star sign” because I’m not into that stuff.)

Making Friends on Bumble BFF

Now, when it comes to making friends on Bumble, it has the same system as most dating apps: swipe right on someone if you are interested, and swipe left if you are not. For it to be a match, you both have to swipe right on each other.

The first thing you see is someone’s photo, and it can feel pretty shallow to swipe one way or another based on that, but it happens. However, most times, I looked through their profile to see if we had anything in common based on the little information shared before I made my decision. 

Matching with Bumble BFF Friends

As I mentioned, I was really interested in quality over quantity of friends. Because of this, I really only swiped right on people if they had everything I was looking for in a friend. I’d rather have no friends than matches that I really wasn’t interested in pursuing a meaningful friendship with. 

Because you only match with someone if you both swipe right, and I definitely did swipe left more often than not, in the end, I had a total of 9 matches. And while you might think creating the perfect profile or deciding who you want to match with is the hardest part, I found the conversations post-match to be more difficult.

Chatting with Bumble BFF Friends

So, once you match with someone (which is super exciting the first couple of times, by the way), it’s time to chat with them. The first girl I matched with messaged me first with a super cute and interesting conversation starter: “Hello.” Yup. I wasn’t really sure what to do with that. So, I Googled “How to start conversations on Bumble for Friends.” It was no help, so I just did my best to respond in a way that moved the conversation along.

By match 4 or 5, I was feeling a bit more confident and would message someone first saying something like, “Hey! How’s the making-friends-on-an-app adventure going for you?” Or, “Hey! Thanks for connecting. How’s the app friend search coming along so far?” I figured it was better than “Hello” and was my attempt at making light of a somewhat uncomfortable situation. 

Out of my nine matches, some people never messaged me back or responded a couple of times before disappearing. Others, I didn’t message back, which I do feel bad about. But how do you tell someone you’re not interested in being their friend? I haven’t figured that one out yet. 

And then there were a few that lasted a bit longer. But one thing I realized is that most people will talk and talk and talk within the app and never initiate hanging out in person. Fortunately, two people stood out amongst the very small crowd of nine. 

Meeting with Bumble BFF Friends

I matched with a girl we’ll call Misty, and within the first few messages, she asked if I wanted to go on a hike or grab food sometime. This was the first initiation I experienced, and I was excited to say yes. From her profile and the few messages between us, she seemed really nice. At the same time, I was also talking with another girl we’ll call Jocelyn and was in the process of asking her to hang out in person.

That’s when one of the best things happened: Misty told me she was also making food plans with another Bumble match. She asked if I’d be interested in all three of us going out to eat that week. I loved the idea because it felt like it would take the pressure off the first friend date. I told her yes but, to be honest, was a little nervous the other girl was someone I had swiped left on. Remember, I live in a very small town. It wouldn’t have been the craziest thing. Fortunately, I was excited to find out the other girl was Jocelyn!

Establishing Friendships Off of the App

Later that week, Misty, Jocelyn, and I went out to dinner. We realized we all have a lot in common: similar personalities, relationship statuses (they are both married without kids), and hopes in terms of finding really great friends via Bumble BFF. After a great time getting to know each other, we exchanged numbers and started a group text to communicate off of the app.

At that moment, I felt so excited that I found both of them. And I still am so grateful to this day. While I wouldn’t say we are best friends quite yet, we’ve all hung out together a few times, even bringing our significant others to meet each other. It’s been a great time, and I’m hopeful for the meaningful friendships that could grow. 

Of course, it still takes effort. You have to text first, initiate hanging out, and do what it takes to make friendships that last. But so far, it’s been worth it. It feels great to have new friends that have the potential to turn into really great friends. 

Using Bumble for Friends is Worth It

In my experience so far, using Bumble for friends is definitely worth it. Sure, I felt silly and awkward in the beginning. But if good friends come of it, then it’s all worth it.

I was super particular on the app and it paid off. So, that would be my one encouragement for you. If you’re using Bumble for friends, do it with intention and prayer. Ask God to bring the right friends to you. And don’t swipe right on someone you’re not really interested in just because you’re tired of not finding any good matches.

In the meantime, focus on doing what you can to ensure you are ready to be a good friend when the right person comes along, whether that’s on the Bumble BFF app or not. Start by doing this FREE 5-Day Friendship Devotional to prepare you for making friends and building friendships that count.