Aisley Ellis, a first-year a massage therapy student at Conestoga College, wanted a “low-barrier” way for women to make connections over the summer.
So, she started what she calls “Hustl Hot Girl Walks.”
An extrovert for as long as she can remember, Ellis said she started the walking group so women could make connections without the pressure of spending a lot of money. She ran the no membership, weekend walking group out of Hustl and Flow, a fitness studio in Kitchener where she works.
“When it started, a lot of the girls were from Hustl [and Flow],” she said.
“Once things started picking up on TikTok, we were getting a little bit more of a different demographic who didn’t know each other… we’d have people in their 18s, 19s, all the way into their 40s.
Over the summer, the walking group grew. At its peak, around 50 women were showing up to the walks.
Does it work?
Amanda Nosko is a professor of psychology at Conestoga College. She said women tend to be more “communal” with their relationships – a setting that Ellis’ walking group provides.
“Typically women tend to focus more on the emotional side of friendships,” she said. “You can kind of see venting, getting advice, that sort of thing.”
Neha Lalany’s experience with the walking group is proof of this dynamic. Lalany joined four of the walks that Ellis set up over the summer. She believes it’s a great opportunity to develop meaningful connections, even for people who may not be comfortable making new friends.
“I brought my sister who is more on the introverted side,” she said. “She was able to make new friends, and talk to people there as well.”
But Nosko stressed that meeting new people in a large group setting does not guarantee deep friendships. She said that for women, “meaningful connections” often develop in smaller groups.
“Once you’re exposed to that group of people, you can kind of pick and choose who you feel more connected to, and then the friendships can develop that way,” she explained.
Still, even if that means not everyone will become her long-term friends, Ellis doesn’t have a problem with it.
She said as long as she’s able to connect women together, “it’s a win.”
Moving on from summer
Now that summer’s over and Ellis is back in school, there’ll be a pause on the weekly walking groups.
Ellis said she would still be doing monthly meet-ups. So far she has hosted one fall walk at the end of October, and has some ideas planned for November.
In the meantime, she’s encouraging women to put themselves out there like she did over the summer.
“There are people out there who maybe you haven’t met yet, who love you for who you are, see you for who you are, and want to know you for who you are,” she said.
“Everyone wants to connect and reach out… We as humans need it and crave it.”
