By Chloe Wong
There was one day in quarantine where I got no texts from anyone. As insignificant as it seems, it both broke me and taught me a valuable lesson. I felt isolated and unwanted, and the lack of social interaction only added to this dejection. Quarantine was continuously prolonged, and it became clear that I would need to learn to be self-sufficient. As I spent more time alone, I began to realize how much I had depended on the little interactions with others to uphold my self-worth. There would be a fair amount of people I see each day, and as this number dwindled, my seemingly stable foundation began to crack.
I knew that I could no longer wait for happiness to come to me. I would have to chase after happiness myself.
As a result of this, I joined clubs and organizations that I had put off for years. I told myself: “I’m set with the amount of social interaction I have, and I don’t need to grow in that regard”. It was an excuse. For a long time, I was reluctant to place myself in an environment where one of the main purposes was to make friends. My mentality was that if I give myself the opportunity to meet new people but still don’t make friends, then the problem lies nowhere else but within myself. Instead of stepping out of my comfort zone to slowly break down my emotional safety barriers, I pushed the option aside so I didn’t have to graze the possibility of failure. In quarantine, with an endless amount of time alone with my thoughts, I began to realize how often I had demolished the possibility of trying new things because I was afraid of failure. Was I going to live a life full of regrets? If I look back at my life 10 years from now, my embarrassment and tentativity would not have amounted to anything. The mixture of this revelation and my craving for more friends pushed me to join all the clubs and communities that I had neglected for so long.
Photo from Unsplash
I joined a worship club at my church, a writing club, a kpop club, a computer science club, and a Red Cross club. I also started talking with my neighbors more and began texting acquaintances and people I barely knew just for the sake of friendliness. To my surprise, it was not futile. Multiple people reached out to me and expressed how happy they were that I joined. They told me that I was a valuable asset to the team and they enjoyed hanging out with me.
To anyone reading this, please know that it is NEVER too late to try new things. Although terrible things may plague our world, there are many wonderful people who bring light. Even the small action of stepping out of your comfort zone will embolden your character and grow your confidence. If you are struggling the same way I was, I hope you know that there are so many people who love you because you are filled to the brim with kindness, worth, competence, intelligence, and fun.
About the Author
Chloe Wong is currently a sophomore in high school, and she enjoys flute, singing, tutoring, writing, running, and cooking. She is passionate about teaching and encouraging others, journaling, and improving her music skills. A little known fact about her is that she loves ramen and constantly experiments with new noodle recipes.
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