On Tuesday night, I went to my first Meetup event with Vancouver’s The ‘A’ List, which is a social and professional networking group. The event was held at The Edge Social Grille & Lounge – a comfortable, contemporary space with plenty of seating as well as room to stand and chat.
There were more than 140 RSVPs prior to the event, and ultimately there was a great turnout. Speaking with a number of members who frequent the group’s meetups, they commonly mentioned that the best events are the ones with the highest attendance – there are simply more opportunities to meet people when a larger group is present. Members from an outdoors club were also in attendance.
Karina, otherwise known as CityGirl on Meetup, is the group organizer for The ‘A’ List. Truly, she is the ideal Meetup hostess. Karina introduced herself to new members personally, and spent time welcoming each person in the room. You could tell that she has an extremely genuine and kind spirit, which is reflective of the group she maintains.
The people in The ‘A’ List are a warm and social bunch. You could say hello to anyone, and instantly be included in the conversation – there is no room for awkwardness because members are so welcoming, reciprocal and kind.
This is a private group, in which you have to join online by answering general questions about your intentions of joining and what your social lifestyle is like. Still, I strongly recommend joining this group if you’re new to networking and want to ease yourself into speaking with strangers, or if you’ve been looking for opportunities to meet new people in general.
This small sample of Vancouverites personifies the city’s personality: genuine, spirited and fun.
Posted by Geraldine Sangalang 
