The Joys of Meeting New People | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Relationships

The Joys of Meeting New People

First impressions are key!

Lillia Woodbury
Jan 24, 2017
Roberts Wesleyan College
323
The Joys of Meeting New People
Dear Optimists

I love meeting new people. It’s full of “Hi, what’s your name?”

“I’m a teacher, how about you?”

“I’m from Syracuse but I’m in town for the weekend.”

I love awkward handshakes and worrying about them later. First impressions are key! But they typically don’t matter. Not when I’m meeting friends of friends at a restaurant on a Saturday night. “I will never see you again!” I think. And if I do see them again, they won’t remember me.

People are quirky and love to talk. They have so many opinions! Sometimes, when I meet new people, I don’t even listen to what they’re saying. I just think, “I wonder why they have these opinions.” Why do they think the way they do? Maybe their parents signed them up for dance when they were four. Maybe their college roommate woke up every day at five. Maybe their day was so long and they just want to complain about their boss to anyone. Even me!

Some people get scared to meet new people, but not me. I get scared after I’ve gotten to know them. What if they don’t actually want to be my friend? What if they get a job in Kansas and move there next week? What if they’re not like that stranger I talked to at a restaurant on a Saturday night? New people have no strings attached. Old people have baggage hanging from their strings and it’s up to me to decide whether to untangle the strings or not. That’s so much pressure!

So for now, I’ll just stick to meeting new people. They tell me their stories, I go home to laugh at how awkward everyone was. How lucky I don’t have to decide whether they belong in my life forever.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

AI music threatens creativity

The Soul of Sound: How AI Challenges Human Expression in Music

346257
Humans and robots face off in a rock band battle with guitars and drums, under dynamic lighting.
StableDiffusion

In an age where artificial intelligence can mimic the voice of Freddie Mercury or reimagine pop hits as synthwave ballads, a new frontier has emerged — one that blurs the line between innovation and erosion. While AI offers undeniable benefits in technical domains, its intrusion into creative arts, especially music, raises urgent questions. Not just about copyright, but about culture, education, and the very soul of artistic expression.


Keep Reading...Show less
ai generated music
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

Miami University
682291
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
music
Entertainment

Why Your Astrological Sign May Not Match Your Personality

We are all more than just one sign.

SUNY Plattsburgh
597711
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
astrology
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

UNC Greensboro
580698
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
spring
Relationships

The Importance Of Being A Good Person

An open letter to the good-hearted people.

Sacred Heart University
865260
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
good person

Trending Topics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments