The Rules of Making Friends, Based on Your Zodiac Sign

We all know that making friends as an adult isn’t easy. With our busy lives, demanding work schedules and having to put our kids’ social lives before our own, when is there time to get together with old friends, let alone make new ones?

“Adult friendship” is a major trending topic these days, with so many think pieces being written about the best way to go about making new connections that it’s difficult to know where to start. What if what works for someone else is a total failure for you? That’s where astrology enters the chat. What if we told you there are rules to making friends as an adult based on your zodiac sign? Here’s our take on how each element (fire, air, earth and water) should approach it.

For the fire signs (Aries, Leo and Sagittarius), making friends is all about connecting on an intellectual level. These signs often don’t even need to meet people IRL. Twitter DMs, Discord communities and in the depths of a controversial Reddit thread are where fire signs make many of their closest connections. More than most, these signs could even find friends on an app like Bumble BFF. Other great places to meet people are book clubs, language classes, political activism groups or evening talks at the museum.

One thing to keep in mind for fire signs is that they’re not necessarily meant to be the social nucleus or stick with the same group forever. They can be the life of the party without being the host of the party, always coming and going as they please.

For the earth signs (Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn), friendship is sparked through emotional and creative connection. Because these signs are often put on a pedestal for their organizational prowess and practical demeanor, they need people in their life who really get them on an emotional level. Earth signs prefer to connect with others one-on-one rather than in larger groups, and may do best connecting with friends of friends who are already close to the inner circle. Earth signs shouldn’t worry about moving “too fast,” with friendships because if something is surface level, it isn’t for them anyway.

For the air signs (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius), friends are made through doing things together. These signs are known for their social prowess and intellect already, but just because they can have a conversation doesn’t mean they want to be besties. Air signs really need people who can hang and can keep their pace.

Despite their intellectual nature, air signs don’t do well making friends online or via apps, and if they do, the IRL meeting needs to happen fast. The best places for air signs to make friends are through recreational sports, hiking clubs or with their fellow regulars at the bar.

For the water signs (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces), friendships are best formed through a solid basis of trust. Which also happens to be one of the hardest things to judge when it comes to adult friendship.

Water signs are naturally emotional and intuitive and can easily find empathy for almost anyone, but that doesn’t mean that everyone should be their friend. Water signs should stick with those who make themselves available for regular hangs and become a consistent part of their schedule. They also do well as the book club captain and party host, providing a grounding space for the whole group to get together.

Jaime Wright is an astrologer based in New York. You can subscribe to her newsletter for more musings on the stars.