Finding Friends in a New City

Okay so I am in this awkward stage of life where I want to make friends but I think I forgot how.

Is that like a thing... like to forget how to make friends?

Well either way I think I forgot how to make friends lol. Making friends was so much easier in school. In grade school you just became friends with the people in your class or the people you seen at recess. In college you just join some form of an organization, study group or become friends with your roommates and voilà you have friends.

Now that I am an adult out of college and in a new city, I am no longer in a classroom setting to make friends. So now the way to make friends is by putting myself out there, going to events and exploring the city... by myself.

Since moving to Atlanta I have graciously been blessed to already have a built in friend here but in knowing only one person I feel like I've become a shadow because I now want to do everything they are doing. Unfortunately I can't be a shadow all the time (because my friend actually has a life lol) so there comes a point where I either have to suck it up and do things by myself or I can sit in the house and be bored while I complain about not having friends. Me being the brave and courageous person that I am I choose to toughen it out and begin the adventure of doing things by myself.

So I went to a concert…by myself.

Yes... I know brave first move right?! but I must say it honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was kind of like going to the movies by yourself but just a tad bit more awkward lol. Going to the movies by yourself it’s easy to blend in it’s just a room full of people there to watch a movie so no one notices if you’re by yourself or not. I thought surely the concert would be the same; we are all there to see the same artist and no one would notice if I’m by myself. Except I forgot the part where you’re at the venue waiting for the artist to go up.

I was so nervous walking into the venue by myself as I was thinking “Oh my gosh, this is a terrible idea, who goes to a concert by themselves?!?” I remember feeling so awkward standing in the middle of the crowd by myself waiting for the performer to go up. Like do I talk to people? If so what do I say? "Hey I'm Keyana, can I be your friend?" like is this how this works now? I kept looking at my phone as if I was waiting for someone to show up knowing no one was coming. For some reason it seemed like it took FOREVER for the performer to go up, I sat there anxious for the show to start for at least 30 min. Until finally a guy standing next to me broke the awkwardness and asked if this was my first time seeing the performer. I was so relieved that someone finally talked to me and from that moment on people were making small talk left and right.

In that moment I was so happy that I decided to go to the concert plus the show was AMAZINNG! Had I talked myself out of going to the concert I would have never experienced a great show or gotten to meet those dope people I ran into.

Though finding friends as an adult and being in a new city can be very intimidating it is so worth the adventure of doing things by yourself and discovering yourself in a new way. Instead of sitting around and waiting for friends to fall out of the sky put yourself out there and go places by yourself! Even though I must admit yes it is still a little awkward going to events by myself there has not been one event I went to where I regretted going after plus I'm putting myself out there to meet more people!

Some steps need to be taken alone. It's the only way to really figure out where you need to be. - Mandy Hale

Until Next Time,