For me it was team sports or group hobbies, in non-pandemic times, anyway. Search for something that interests you and see if groups in the area exist for it. Y

For me it was team sports or group hobbies, in non-pandemic times, anyway. Search for something that interests you and see if groups in the area exist for it. You always at least have the focus of the group in common with everyone there, and through which you make friends, and meet their friends, and create a new (real) social network. And if the group's not for you, you can just stop going and find a different one. That's a lot harder to do with something like graduate school (speaking from experience).