Navigating the social circus of life, I often feel like I missed the Making Friends 101 workshop. Some people have more apps on their phones than I have actual friends. Some even have more unread emails than I have social interactions in a month—and that's saying something!
You know those classic movie scenes where the protagonist dials up their 2AM friend during a crisis? Well, my version of that scene looks a little different. It’s just me, at 2AM, staring at my very, very short contact list, thinking, “Does the pizza place count as emotional support? They've certainly been there for me through a lot of heartbreaks… mostly heartbreak over the last slice.”
It’s not that I haven’t tried expanding my social circle. I once attended a “Come Meet Your Next BFF!” event. By the end of the night, I had successfully bonded with the snack table and made a deep connection with a decorative plant. Turns out, plants are excellent listeners—but their advice tends to be a little... leafy.
I guess you could say I’m an introvert. My ideal Friday night? Crocheting a new project while listening to emo rap and reading blogs like this—because honestly, nothing soothes the soul quite like deep lyrics, tangled yarn, and relatable content. Small talk? I’d rather untangle a ball of yarn with my bare hands. Social gatherings? Exhausting. Give me a quiet room, a good book, and maybe a cat that doesn’t belong to me but has somehow claimed me as their emotional support human.
I’m also that person who rehearses a simple “Hi” for half an hour, only to blurt out “Heylo-howdy-hola!” in a nervous rush. But hey, on the bright side, I’ve mastered the art of talking to myself. Some of my best conversations happen in my own head, and let me tell you—I never fail to crack myself up.
In all seriousness, though, it’s not always easy sailing through life with a lean crew. The quiet can be deafening, and some days feel heavier than others. But in the solitude, I’ve discovered a resilience I never knew I had. A quiet strength that shines especially when the chips are down. I’ve learned to hold my own hand, to cheer for myself when no one else is watching, and to find joy in my own company.
Would it be nice to have a 2AM friend—someone to call when life feels a little too overwhelming? Absolutely. Do I sometimes wish I had a little less elbow room and a bit more company in my life raft? Of course. But until that happens, I’ll keep dancing to my own awkward rhythm, making terrible jokes to myself, and chatting up another plant. Because I know that somewhere out there, there’s another oddball just waiting to share a laugh, a groan, or a slice of late-night pizza over the beautiful, unpredictable mess that is life.
And when we finally meet? Oh, the stories we’ll tell.
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