It's hard to _try_ to make friends; what's more productive is to find situations where friendships will form naturally

Awhile back there was a New York Times article that said, essentially, the key to making friends is "proximity; repeated, unplanned interactions; and a setting that encourages people to let their guard down and confide in each other." And, personally, I've never found a better summation of the issue than that. Trying to make friends is a fool's game. Wh…