For many people, making friends in adulthood can be a challenge. Finding opportunities outside of school or work to socialize and try new things isn’t always easy.
When Kimmie Horton came to Boise State in 2022, she experienced that struggle firsthand. She was having trouble turning the connections she made in classes into real friendships outside of school.
Horton heard about local clubs where members can pay to attend social events, but these weren’t affordable for her as a student. Horton decided to take matters into her own hands.
“There’s a budget for everyone, but for me as a student, it was [unreasonable] to pay $45 to meet someone and drink coffee,” Horton, a junior studying Integrated Media and Strategic Communications, said.
Horton began hosting gatherings for girls, especially Boise State students, to make new friends and enjoy shared interests. Some of her main events are her “Coffee Club” meetings, where they try out different local coffee shops.
“All these girls have the same story — how hard it was to make friends, even when you’re on campus,” Horton said, explaining that many attendees are commuter students who don’t have as many built-in connections at school. “You have to search for a community of people.”
Horton has several “clubs” for girls to get involved in, including a “Bagels Club,” game nights, movie nights, fitness classes and dog-walking to name a few.
For all events, the only cost is the price of the activity — the cup of coffee, the bagel or the movie ticket. If it’s a dinner party or girls’ night in, Horton hosts it potluck-style, letting the girls vote on the budget.
Horton also prioritizes supporting local businesses whenever possible.
“If we’re getting all together, and each one of us is going to purchase a coffee, let’s do it for the local small businesses,” she said.
For Horton, the event planning and hosting were never about profit — it was always about bringing people together.
“We’re humans. We need connection,” she said. “That’s what keeps us active, happy and alive. If you’re going through something, it’s always better when you have people around you.”
According to Layla Abdulhameed, a junior majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies and regular attendee of the gatherings, Horton truly cares about the girls in her club.
“She likes to check in on people,” Abdulhameed said, explaining Horton reaches out to girls who are regular event attendees and haven’t shown up in a while.
Abdulhameed said the group does a great job of bringing people together, just like Horton had always hoped for.
“I’m getting closer to people in the group, and I’m having more community and connections,” she said. “ Finding those people has been such a blessing.”
Horton uses social media to spread the word about her events. Her Instagram accounts, @theboisegirlie and @theboisegirlie.events, feature content from the gatherings and other posts about life in Boise.
Horton recently created her own website, too. Those interested in joining Horton for her events can find more information on theboisegirlie.com.
