I have a particular limitation when it comes socially. I perform fantastically in person, but I have absolutely no social sense when it comes online. My best opportunities are a board game night meetup and some chance meetups at an arcade nearby on the weekends. I am neither old, Christian, or a drinker, hence the limited interests in my area. I still feel socially stunted without a real close friendship, but I can withstand that for the weeks in between seeing my sweetheart.
Now, assuming they move in soon, I assume I should find at least some friends in earnest? I know we both can get emotionally vulnerable so we ought to have as many support sources as possible. He is my best friend, but I need more eggs and more baskets. I have yet to have other friends… ever, but I’m damn trying with my gaming groups.
This is so frickin’ relatable.
I recently moved cross-country, leaving my beloved partners behind; and while I’m so much happier in my new location … I’m struggling to make new friends? Feels like a “30s problem,” because I used to have a vibrant, online scene of rich friendships … but now it’s just me, my dog, work, and a bunch of single-player videogames. )=
I spend most of my weeks looking forward to the next trip to/from my partners, and live as a completely antisocial shut-in, the rest of the time … which sucks, because I used to think of myself as something of a social butterfly! 😮💨
anyway idk hit me up if you wanna play multiplayer, complicated video games — factorio/satisfactory, complex systemic RPGs, literally anything that 1. takes more than a week or two to play and 2. isn’t single player? 🫠
Why are you living in a place where if you are not old, Christian or a drinker you don’t get to have a normal life?
Perhaps this is a dumb question, but what are the critical missing pieces with respect to in-person communication and care? There might be some creative ways to supplement digitally?
It seems clear that the ideal is connecting with someone in-person who you really vibe with. Is the in-person aspect the most important for the friendship that you’re seeking?
One of my friends started joining climbing and dodgeball teams to get to know people.
Hilariously enough, the kink culture here is great, so I’ve actually been going to these like, “nude beach socials” and kink nights just to meet people, as they are engines of socialization for a broad spectrum of people ranging from young to old. In an era of awkwardness, sometimes a mask and a drink helps, lol.
Anyways, I also joined a mountain bike group, who immediately folded me in, and I’ve been having a lot of fun with that and reconnecting with childhood friends (I moved back to the same city I was from, about a decade later)