A new city, new life, new people, new schedule, new everything sounds very exciting but every coin has two sides. This exciting and furious life is also a life filled with confusion, chaos, and sometimes an emotional mess. Especially, if you are an introvert since the day when you started to understand the criticism from people around you. Yes, being an introvert, I can feel that pressure one has to deal with in a different city, away from home, away from loved ones, and away from those two people you usually used to talk to. Making people like you seems a bit difficult when your perspective of this world is different. But, is people pleasing the only criterion for making friends? Ask yourself this question. Sometimes, the answer might be yes, if I don't please people they won't be my friends or talk to me. But sometimes, the answer is no, why should I run after or chase people? I can just be myself, I don't need to pretend to make people like me. I was Yeh jawaani hai Dewaani's Naina in school, nobody knew me, and then at a certain point in time, I decided to move out of my comfort zone and shift to a different place for my college. I am on a journey I have no clue about the consequences or the future. Here are a couple of things I learned and still learning while living in a new atmosphere for my college life.
OLD ADVICES FOR A NEW ENVIRONMENT
1) Learn the difference between friends and Acquaintances. Not everyone you meet and talk to every day is your friend. Stop this myth that if you talk for about a week, you are friends. This does happen but not every time. Treat them like an acquaintance till you are comfortable with them and you don't feel suppressed by them. A friend is someone in front of whom you can be yourself, be opinionated about situations, and they won't force you to believe what they say. They aren't your friends, they are just acquaintances. But mind my word, acquaintances aren't bad, you can have fun with them for a short duration but that time will be great.
2) Do not be dependent. You have moved to a different place to understand what independence is. So don't let your independence be triggered by dependence on acquaintances or friends. If nobody is coming with you, explore alone. While exploring places alone, you will discover your true inner self, and after some time you will not need anyone to always accompany you. You will be confident enough to roam around the place solo.
3) Set Healthy Boundaries. Being away from parents feels good for some time, when there is no one to tell you what to do and what not, you feel independent. But it is totally in our hands how to make use of this independence given to us. Set healthy boundaries you will not cross and try to maintain them, this is for your own sake. Have a maintained trust with your parents.
4) Communicate. Communication is the key to every social being. We humans are gifted with great communication skills in a variety of languages so make sure to fully utilise this potential of yours. Communicate to make things easier and clearer for you as well as others.
5) Take part in social activities and fests to boost your confidence level and to make good contacts with people around you. This helps us a lot in unexpected ways.
These are some of the things which I learnt after moving away from my home. Keep reading my blogs to know more of my journey.
