Friendship is a natural thing to want. We, as humans, crave human contact, and we crave a connection with those around us. Once we hit college, we leave most of our friends we made behind. The first week or so is the hardest, and the friends that I made during that first month didn't last. I quickly realized that I was the friend that acted as the bridge between groups.
Friendships rarely lasted more than a few weeks, and I soon realized that I was being ghosted by those I tried to make those friendships with when the texts to meet for lunch were left read but unanswered. When the hellos on campus were ignored and the attempts to be included fell flat, the attempts were stopped, knowing they were for naught.
I ate meals alone, I studied alone, and I stayed more nights alone in my room than I spent out of it. I suppose it was partly my fault, but anyone would feel dejected when they had tried their hardest to make friends and they all fell through. I had a small group of friends that I had made, but it too dissolved. They all made other friends and we mutually parted ways, which benefited all of us in the end.
Until I joined the Acappella club that my college offered, I really spent my time alone. Here, I had a few good friends, and I even became treasurer before Christmas rolled around. I met my roommate through that club. Even so, i still have nights where I am alone, and that's okay. I need them to recharge my batteries. I need the time that I am alone to collect my thoughts and to make sure I can process the day I had. However, being the temporary friend is the worst, because you hear all the people around you with friends in their rooms and you're alone watching Netflix. There were times that I skipped dinner, preferring to make something in my room because I knew I'd be eating alone either way.
Being the temporary friend sucks. And it is hard, but you can make the most of it. You learn more about yourself that way.It's perfectly normal to be alone sometimes, but there are ways to make friends. Join some clubs and just put yourself out there.
