I would LOVE to be able to branch out, but as much as I’ve tried in my almost 30 years, it always ends as nothing but a wet fart. Most of the people who I do vibe with (and who tolerate me) exist in the form of potential romantic interests and it just doesn’t work out. I can’t find that “line” of platonicness and romance. From that perspective then, I guess it makes sense why my friendships/commections ceased formation in my adolescence. Doesn’t make it suck any less though lolololol
I'm pretty certain thats normal. My closest friends are those which I met at school and any new friends are just colleagues i get on with at that point in time but if either one of us moves on to somewhere else we absolutely will not stay in contact or if we do it won't be that often.
My theory is that new people already have their own established friend groups so can't make much time for anyone else and its hard to ever be as important as an established long term friend group. The only person I met after school that I'm close to is my boyfriend.
To still have friends later in life in any form is honestly a blessing a lot of people aren't so fortunate. But it genuinely is hard to form long term close friends it requires a lot of interaction but also a lot of events to bond over which for most newer people you meet just won't happen because school and uni are the best times for silly antics to look back on. I've met NT people that have large "friend" groups from later in life but it always seems very hollow, those friends being the kind of people who wouldn't even piss on you if you were on fire. The definition of friend between ND and NT people seem to be quite different.
I have independently come to the same conclusion. Therefore, I’m cooked.
Have also observed this.