There are many recreational activities that are free or cheap. I do Kung Fu, and It’s $20/wk. You can play pick up games of football, basketball, soccer, frisbee golf, etc. you can join a hiking group(if you’re near hiking areas), you can look into activities at your local library or recreation center, if you have one. If you’re a drinker, find a dive bar with $3-5 pitchers of PBR and nurse a single pitcher all night.
I understand that we are increasingly being priced out of “third spaces”, and that socializing is becoming more expensive, but there are still ways to do so cheaply, and it is ever more important to do so in our increasingly atomized world.
I know that feeling. What I did, that helped with that, was put myself in a situation where I didn’t really have a choice, in my case martial arts. Alcohol is what I used when I was younger to loosen up, but if you go that route, beware dependence, which is what happened to me. After getting sober, my anxiety was even worse than before I started drinking, and only really has started settling down since I got into martial arts, which pushes me past my comfort zone every time I go.
Hmm; because meeting people costs money. You have to go places, and be presentable, both of which cost money.
There are many recreational activities that are free or cheap. I do Kung Fu, and It’s $20/wk. You can play pick up games of football, basketball, soccer, frisbee golf, etc. you can join a hiking group(if you’re near hiking areas), you can look into activities at your local library or recreation center, if you have one. If you’re a drinker, find a dive bar with $3-5 pitchers of PBR and nurse a single pitcher all night.
I understand that we are increasingly being priced out of “third spaces”, and that socializing is becoming more expensive, but there are still ways to do so cheaply, and it is ever more important to do so in our increasingly atomized world.
Okay, but like... I still can't really talk to people that I just met.
Just do it. It’s not like the person will kill you(probably). It is a good skill to be able to talk to anyone in any circumstance
I know that feeling. What I did, that helped with that, was put myself in a situation where I didn’t really have a choice, in my case martial arts. Alcohol is what I used when I was younger to loosen up, but if you go that route, beware dependence, which is what happened to me. After getting sober, my anxiety was even worse than before I started drinking, and only really has started settling down since I got into martial arts, which pushes me past my comfort zone every time I go.