Technology can be the cause of, or cure to lonliness.
I have made many cool friends online in the 10 or so years I’ve had access to the internet, most of whome I’ve kept in contact with. People whose e mails were so important to me, especially when I was in college and away from friends/family back home.
Meeting people online can be so much easier, you don’t have to fear being yourself and you can consider your response before you reply, so feel less like you’ve just stuck your foot in your mouth.
Forming relationships face to face is hard. But you have to accept that everyone carries their own worries around in their heads, so someone appering to give a brush off answer to a compliment or a nice remark may not always be about you.
I started a new college course last year, and was amazed at how quickly certain cliques of friendships formed. I pretty much kept to myself and got on with my work. The course has a fairly high drop out rate so I just wanted to make it to the next year. But now, in our second year, between drop outs, exam failures and people branching off into other subjects my group has become way smaller. I’m the same person, but now that those of us left have a chance to interract more, I’ve formed some really cool friendships. Sometimes you just need to see who is around you.
" instead of smiling
