20F) I’ve truly been socially anxious, shy and quiet my whole life w/ below average social skills. I’ve never had friends to hangout w/… resulting in me spending majority of my life in the house playing video games.
I am Sick of wasting my life away inside the house.. missing out on experiences and fun things. So I’ve decided to buy tickets to An upcoming Gaming Festival… However I’m still weary on whether to go or not since I’ll be attending by myself. This will be my first time going somewhere big by myself.
I am nervous about the experience and not being able to handle the huge crowds.. Worried about being by myself in a city I’ve never been as a female. Worried about being too scared to socialize or enjoy myself. Worried about feeling uncomfortable or awkward bc thats how I usually get at festivals.
I was originally excited about the festival but now as the approaches I am being bombarded with doubts.
Should I attend the festival still or ditch it and seek experiences at smaller events?
I am also insecure about telling people I am going places by myself.. bc I feel like it makes me look lame w/ no friends (which is true LOL) So I am weary on telling my parents where I will be at but know it’s important since I am going alone. 🥺
What should I do?
2 comments
The only way you’re going to get used to going out alone is by experience. It’ll be embarrassing and uncomfortable, there’s no getting around that. You can still have fun and overall have a good time but it’s going to be rough putting yourself out there. It always is.
But experiences like this only serve to help you be more comfortable socially and more confident being independent. Nothing wrong with starting small and working your way up to big events like festivals but that’s entirely up to how confident you feel. Do you want to jump in the deep end or start in the shallows? Personally I have to force myself into the deep end because I get too comfortable doing the bare minimum.
Definitely tell your parents since you are going out alone, but not just for the safety aspect. Also because you should get used to shrugging off what people may or may not think of you doing things alone.
This is all easier said than done of course. I’m 25 and still working on all of this after being homeschooled all my life and growing up essentially a shut in. It’s a gradual process where you have to be prepared to cut yourself some slack.
One thing I’d keep on mind is: you can leave at anytime you wanna! Everything feels safer once you are sure there’s an emergency exit available.
I know someone who always goes alone to events because he travels alone and he ussualy finds someone to be akward together with from the beginning! Every event has post in Twitter or Facebook or their own web site. He just goes with “attending the event alone, anyone in the same situation who is planning to go anyways?” The majority of times it works. No need to share the number, just stay in the gate at certain time.
I’ve been in groups before and “adopted” people with us who went there alone or lost the friend for a while or whatever reason, it’s fun!!!