lonely and looking for friends

[cerealnmuffin]

Hi, my name is Elise. I'm currently teaching in South Korea and I've been struggling with loneliness. I wish this was a recent problem, but I've been mostly friendless most of my life. Moving around a lot and terrible social anxiety made it hard for me to make friends. Even within my peer group, I have struggled to make friends. Even in college among my peer group, I got ignored, because guys were more interested in the hyperactive, loud girls.

I'm hoping to make some friends I can chat with through aim, yahoo, or skype. Thing is that most of the foreigners here just like to drink at bars when I'd rather go to an arcade. Umm a bit about me is that I love history, indie music, video games such as Fallout, Starcraft (I love to watch tournaments), DDR/Pump, survival horror (Rule of Rose, Fatal Frame, Haunting Ground), early Final Fantasies, and infinity engine games. I used to watch a lot of anime, but now I seldom do. Some of my favorites are Evangelion, Slayers, Monster, and Welcome to NHK. I also love running.

Only kinda friends I have in person, I have to hide my geekish tendencies. I'd much rather play a game of Dnd or visit a museum than pretending I care about facebook and cell phones. I usually dress very classy/feminine (albeit with a bookwormish slant) in person so people assume I'd rather blab about whatever boring romcom Hollywood regurgitated that week. That couldn't be further from the truth.

So I hope this post doesn't make me look too pathetic or anything... but hoping to make some possible friends.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

There's nothing wrong with wanting to make friends,
and it's very possible to find friends like that on this website.

If you want to meet with them in person though, it might be a little harder.

 

[Deverfro]

Nothing pathetic about wanting to make friends =D

Sites like this are ace for meeting fellow nerds. I even have to tone down the geek levels around my friends, which is fine, cause you can just chat with different people when you feel like it.

The one thing I might suggest is just taking a risk or two, like go see a film your not super keen on, or do something that you can't see yourself doing, its a great way to meet new people, and you might even find people who like the same stuff, who also meld with other groups...And the train of thought kinda fell apart there xD

 

[Jedoro]

This'd definitely be the place to find friends with similar interests. I met one of my best friends in the Role Playing Forum here, and I know how it feels to hide geekish tendencies from friends. Aside from my DnD group, none of my RL friends know I play it.

 

[afbrien]

I can relate to concealing most of my geeky interests. Yet in spite of my best attempts I only have a few friends, mainly because I firmly believe that reading books on history and gaming are a better use of my time than clubbing and rugby.

 

[EeveeElectro]

I'm always happy to make new friends if you ever feel down =)
I don' really have friends IRL. Maybe one or two I still see from school. I suppose my work mates and neighbours, but that's about it.

I understand how you feel about going to clubs, I hate them too ._.
Isn't there any DnD tournaments over there? Surely the local game shops host something like that?
You'll make a load of new friends at something like that. You shouldn't worry about what happened in the past because people there will have the same interests as you and should enjoy your company.
Going to the arcades might be a good idea if you can't make friends with other English speaking people. Assuming you can speak Korean (not sure how many people over there know good English), it might be a good idea to make friends at places like that.

If you're on Facebook or something, you could see about joining some groups or pages about making friends? Be careful when meeting people online though.

 

[Playful Pony]

I can't meet you in person I'm fraid, though I'd really like that you seem like my kinda person. I registered on this site just now and could use some friends myself! I tend to drive people away because I talk to much, or so I imagine...

I'd like to talk if you'd like to talk! Or anyone else for that matter.

...That does make me feel a bit petethic, yeah. I see what you mean...

 

[Weaver]

Hi, my name is Elise. I'm currently teaching in South Korea and I've been struggling with loneliness. I wish this was a recent problem, but I've been mostly friendless most of my life. Moving around a lot and terrible social anxiety made it hard for me to make friends. Even within my peer group, I have struggled to make friends. Even in college among my peer group, I got ignored, because guys were more interested in the hyperactive, loud girls.

I'm hoping to make some friends I can chat with through aim, yahoo, or skype. Thing is that most of the foreigners here just like to drink at bars when I'd rather go to an arcade. Umm a bit about me is that I love history, indie music, video games such as Fallout, Starcraft (I love to watch tournaments), DDR/Pump, survival horror (Rule of Rose, Fatal Frame, Haunting Ground), early Final Fantasies, and infinity engine games. I used to watch a lot of anime, but now I seldom do. Some of my favorites are Evangelion, Slayers, Monster, and Welcome to NHK. I also love running.

Only kinda friends I have in person, I have to hide my geekish tendencies. I'd much rather play a game of Dnd or visit a museum than pretending I care about facebook and cell phones. I usually dress very classy/feminine (albeit with a bookwormish slant) in person so people assume I'd rather blab about whatever boring romcom Hollywood regurgitated that week. That couldn't be further from the truth.

So I hope this post doesn't make me look too pathetic or anything... but hoping to make some possible friends.

Hey Elise, do you have a steam account?

 

[SckizoBoy]

I love history.

Sometimes that's all I need to go stark-raving-nerd... Anyway, hi Elise... though I'm disappointed to you didn't mention a love of hardback books, otherwise I'd've led with 'the real-life version of Yomiko, presumably'...(!)

(Not sure about you but I was a bit *meh* about R.O.D.: TV, if you've seen it)

mid-Republic Rome, Napoleonic era = specialties
late-Republic & early Imperial Rome, Enlightenment era & German Unification = more than a passing interest

What area/era do you nerd out over?

 

[Callate]

Um, are you Korean? (I'm presuming you speak the language.) I've never been to Korea, so I don't really have a sense of whether "looking foreign" would be an impediment to making friends locally, or how much so.

Actually, my ignorance of SK is probably going to be the biggest hurdle to my making good suggestions. In the United States, I would suggest that I've seen a lot of game shops or comic/game shops that have bulletin boards for people looking to join gaming groups, which might be helpful with regard to meeting new people who have similar interests. Along the same lines, I imagine there are local guilds for any number of MMOs that might do the AIM/Skype/Yahoo Messenger thing.

Anyway, best of luck making friends. You sound like pleasant person on first impression; I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to find friends with similar interests, once you find your niche.

 

[IrradiatedFish]

Hello Elise and others, just a fellow Escapist here! I don't really have too much to say right here and now, but I just thought I would leave a brief message here too.

I would probably say that I am in a similar situation in terms of being in a place that I haven't managed to really make many friends. I have never really been outgoing, and I suppose one might say that I'm not very "socially adept". Despite all this, I consider myself friendly, and I'm eager to make any friends that I can.

I don't think I'm really that boring of a person as my prior few sentences may lead you to believe, so if you want to know what sort of stuff I am into, just ask . I'd like to think I can be an interesting person to talk to, and I believe I have a fair bit to share.

Anyhow, just thought I would say that I'm happy to talk to anyone and everyone. While I'm mainly replying to your post Elise, if anyone else is interested, I'm definitely looking for any other eager potential friends too. So I hope everyone feels welcome to contact me . Here on the Escapist is fine, otherwise everyone is free to contact me by my email and/or Skype listed in my profile (note, if you do try to contact me by those methods, send me a message saying you're from the Escapist, otherwise I may dismiss you as some random junk mail or something).

By the way, my name is Chris! I hope everyone is having a pleasant day/night, cheers!

 

[cerealnmuffin]

I love history.

Sometimes that's all I need to go stark-raving-nerd... Anyway, hi Elise... though I'm disappointed to you didn't mention a love of hardback books, otherwise I'd've led with 'the real-life version of Yomiko, presumably'...(!)

(Not sure about you but I was a bit *meh* about R.O.D.: TV, if you've seen it)

mid-Republic Rome, Napoleonic era = specialties
late-Republic & early Imperial Rome, Enlightenment era & German Unification = more than a passing interest

What area/era do you nerd out over?

Growing up, books and my stuffed animals were my only friends. I would always have a college level history or archeology book with me. I also read other stuff beyond that from modern classics like 'House of Leaves' to classics (Kafka, Camus) to fantasy ('Accidental Time Traveler' and 'Lies of Locke Lamore'). When I was in grade school, I pretty much read through all of Stephen King's works. Lately, I'm more devoted to my writing (two of my novels were picked up by a literary agent who is submitting my work to publishers).

As for history period I geek over well my degree is in Asian history (Japan, Chinese Revolution, Russian Revolution). Egyptology is also one of my favorite topics and it is a shame that people only know about the pyramids and mummies. I really enjoy studying the minutiae of the period.

I also enjoy archeology, Roman, mesoamerica, and well pretty much everything except for most of post WW1 era. I have stacks of archeology magazines and I'm always on the lookout for a good book or a documentary that is beyond a simple 101 level. Sorry I'm rambling, hope I wasn't too boring.

As for ROD TV, I prefer the OAV. The animation was much better and Yomiko was center stage.

 

[cerealnmuffin]

Hi, my name is Elise. I'm currently teaching in South Korea and I've been struggling with loneliness. I wish this was a recent problem, but I've been mostly friendless most of my life. Moving around a lot and terrible social anxiety made it hard for me to make friends. Even within my peer group, I have struggled to make friends. Even in college among my peer group, I got ignored, because guys were more interested in the hyperactive, loud girls.

I'm hoping to make some friends I can chat with through aim, yahoo, or skype. Thing is that most of the foreigners here just like to drink at bars when I'd rather go to an arcade. Umm a bit about me is that I love history, indie music, video games such as Fallout, Starcraft (I love to watch tournaments), DDR/Pump, survival horror (Rule of Rose, Fatal Frame, Haunting Ground), early Final Fantasies, and infinity engine games. I used to watch a lot of anime, but now I seldom do. Some of my favorites are Evangelion, Slayers, Monster, and Welcome to NHK. I also love running.

Only kinda friends I have in person, I have to hide my geekish tendencies. I'd much rather play a game of Dnd or visit a museum than pretending I care about facebook and cell phones. I usually dress very classy/feminine (albeit with a bookwormish slant) in person so people assume I'd rather blab about whatever boring romcom Hollywood regurgitated that week. That couldn't be further from the truth.

So I hope this post doesn't make me look too pathetic or anything... but hoping to make some possible friends.

Hey Elise, do you have a steam account?

Yes, it is cerealnmuffin. My nice laptop broke so I'm stuck with this 1.6 gig hz abomination so I'm really limited in games lately. I want to buy a new laptop before Heart of the Swarm comes out, but I have to wait till I can take a trip back to the states (computers are priced 200 bucks higher here)

 

[Weaver]

Hi, my name is Elise. I'm currently teaching in South Korea and I've been struggling with loneliness. I wish this was a recent problem, but I've been mostly friendless most of my life. Moving around a lot and terrible social anxiety made it hard for me to make friends. Even within my peer group, I have struggled to make friends. Even in college among my peer group, I got ignored, because guys were more interested in the hyperactive, loud girls.

I'm hoping to make some friends I can chat with through aim, yahoo, or skype. Thing is that most of the foreigners here just like to drink at bars when I'd rather go to an arcade. Umm a bit about me is that I love history, indie music, video games such as Fallout, Starcraft (I love to watch tournaments), DDR/Pump, survival horror (Rule of Rose, Fatal Frame, Haunting Ground), early Final Fantasies, and infinity engine games. I used to watch a lot of anime, but now I seldom do. Some of my favorites are Evangelion, Slayers, Monster, and Welcome to NHK. I also love running.

Only kinda friends I have in person, I have to hide my geekish tendencies. I'd much rather play a game of Dnd or visit a museum than pretending I care about facebook and cell phones. I usually dress very classy/feminine (albeit with a bookwormish slant) in person so people assume I'd rather blab about whatever boring romcom Hollywood regurgitated that week. That couldn't be further from the truth.

So I hope this post doesn't make me look too pathetic or anything... but hoping to make some possible friends.

Hey Elise, do you have a steam account?

Yes, it is cerealnmuffin. My nice laptop broke so I'm stuck with this 1.6 gig hz abomination so I'm really limited in games lately. I want to buy a new laptop before Heart of the Swarm comes out, but I have to wait till I can take a trip back to the states (computers are priced 200 bucks higher here)

Aww that's a shame. I don't live in S. Korea, but I was hoping we could game together sometime. I know online friends aren't like real friends, but it can help fill a lonely night or two.

I've added you anyways. Steam name is Weaver. Hope to see you around sometime!

 

[SckizoBoy]

Growing up, books and my stuffed animals were my only friends. I would always have a college level history or archeology book with me. I also read other stuff beyond that from modern classics like 'House of Leaves' to classics (Kafka, Camus) to fantasy ('Accidental Time Traveler' and 'Lies of Locke Lamore'). When I was in grade school, I pretty much read through all of Stephen King's works. Lately, I'm more devoted to my writing (two of my novels were picked up by a literary agent who is submitting my work to publishers).

Eh... these days I read a lot of contemporarily written fantasy/sci-fi, though when I was younger, I grew up on lots of HG Wells, Robert Conan Doyle and James Hilton... good grief, those were the days... though I've somehow graduated to Titus Livius!

As for history period I geek over well my degree is in Asian history (Japan, Chinese Revolution, Russian Revolution). Egyptology is also one of my favorite topics and it is a shame that people only know about the pyramids and mummies. I really enjoy studying the minutiae of the period.

You're now the... fourth person who's put me to shame because I'm very Han-Chinese... and yet I know very little about my country's (or province's) history. Most of the Chinese/Japanese history I know is only from the last two hundred years or so... which is the rather depressing part in a way.

I also enjoy archeology, Roman, mesoamerica, and well pretty much everything except for most of post WW1 era. I have stacks of archeology magazines and I'm always on the lookout for a good book or a documentary that is beyond a simple 101 level. Sorry I'm rambling, hope I wasn't too boring.

I'm not so into archaeology, though the architecture and technical knowledge of ancient (or even more recent) civilisations fascinates me, too, how societal norms, politics and foreign policy changed to suit. (BTW in case you hadn't noticed, I'm more of a military historian and analyst as opposed to a straight up historian... -_- ) And not boring, I like talking shop!

As for ROD TV, I prefer the OAV. The animation was much better and Yomiko was center stage.

'Tis the difference between the production values of OAV's and full series, but still, there was a great deal more impact to the OAV once you got to the final episode. The revelation was quite a hit (if I'm remembering it right...)

 

[Peithelo]

Greetings, Elise. You seem like a wonderful person and we appear to have similar interests.
In my free time I like to read, educate myself through reading and play video games. I also like to watch movies and TV-series. Some of my more recent favorites are Moon (2009), M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable and Laputa - Castle in the Sky. Stargate SG1 and Atlantis are quite important to me as well. Recently I have begun watching anime more seriously, though I had seen most of Miyazaki's production already, but they are quite popular in Europe so it's no wonder. I might also add that I started to read George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. I mostly study philosophy and history in my free time. Currently I listen to what I consider to be some of the best music, Vangelis.

I have a Steam account and tend to spend some time in AIM as well. It would be nice to be able to talk with someone from time to time. I would also like to add that I don't differentiate my friends according to where I have come to know them from (IRL, an afwul concept).

 

[Karhukonna]

Quoted for attention, mostly.

Looking for socially awkward company? On the internet? Surely you jest.

Seriously, though, I really understand where you're coming from. I always come off as socially retarded whenever I interact with people I don't really know, because I essentially am socially retarded. I don't have any local friends, so I kinda get yer point.

Anyways, I don't really spend much time on instant messengers or anything, but you wanna throw some private messages around, feel free to contact me.

I didn't tell anything about myself? Socially retarded, even on the internet. :<

 

[Kailat777]

Good morning, Elise! Call me Patrick.

Being a mathematician and all, I have very little knowledge of history, which is either an awesome thing or horrible thing, depending on if you wanted someone to be impressed with your tales of history or someone with which to have deep discussions about the cultural influences of [insert historical thing here], respectively. The only things of note I have more than a vague understanding of are mathematics and video/board games.

That said, I LOVE to talk and to listen to other people talk to me, and I love hearing about things I know absolutely nothing about, so if you ever want to chat with someone, hit me (sending me a private message here works, but if you want my Skype name... then you still have to PM me here to get it. Funny how that works).

That said, you barely know me (I have this weird 'thing' where I don't spread my personal information in public on the internet. Go figure), so if you PM me for my Skype name it'll totally creep me out (so if you ever wanted to creep someone out, here's your chance!).

 

[The_Great_Galendo]

*snip*

I sent you a PM about a week ago -- let me know if you received it, would you? If not, I can try sending again.