𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 #1

Strangers were once a type of person I was told to avoid. But it then developed into a task we are encouraged to do on a daily with guides such as, “How to Talk to Strangers IRL” outlining different methods like triangulating to conquer the barrier that lies in between you and someone you do not know to hopefully gain a new connection. However, I have always been a little hesitant to interact with a stranger. A part of the reason is the paranoia that stems from the stories my parents told me for educational purposes when I was a little kid, the news, and recollections of strange or spooky programs that would air when my sister had nothing else to watch on television late at night. Another part is the possible awkward interaction that might occur. Where it feels as though you missed the social cue that they did not want to be spoken with, resulting in a sense of embarrassment. Ironically, I didn’t feel as scared online, especially in the past. Maybe this was because of the lack of education surrounding the internet and internet safety, the ability to conceal oneself identity, or just the inherent nature of technology. Regardless of the reasoning, I was more likely to reach out to a stranger via online than in real life. That is, it seems a lot easier and I preferred it that way, or so I thought.

During the midst of the pandemic, my preference of interacting with strangers online or in real life was put to the test. As the virus began to spread and limitations were slowly being enforced, online interactions with friends and strangers was all we had as in-person interactions was seen as a forbidden activity for a little while. In the beginning, I loved it. It felt like it was just what I needed, a break from the world. However as time went on, it became something I missed. It became a foreign feeling that I frequently tried to remember the feeling of. As a result of experiencing the limitations imposed on us, even if I’m hesitant and a little fearful of approaching a stranger in real life, I prefer to go through the awkwardness in-person than to avoid that tension and talk through a screen.

I’ve learned that if you do not make the situation awkward, then it won’t be awkward. And I live by that. Or at least just let me think so. Thus, I approached the person next to me in the lecture with a little hesitation. As expected, it went well. Maybe it was a little easier because we both can talk about something class related as a topic of conversation versus a complete stranger where you have to find a shared interest or experience through a multitude of various questions. But if this was an online class, I can’t deny that I would have no hesitation in sending a message to another person in class. And so, I guess you can call me an introverted extrovert? Or maybe someone who sucks at talking to new people?