5 Lies You Tell Yourself When You're Lonely In College | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

5 Lies You Tell Yourself When You're Lonely In College

You're never alone in a sea of people.

1092
5 Lies You Tell Yourself When You're Lonely In College
Abby Blackwell

It has been exactly 65 days since I've moved into college. And amongst those 65 days, I can say that I have felt lonely 85 percent of that time. I had heard the phrase "You can be in a sea of people and still feel so lonely" a thousand times, but it wasn't until college that I actually understood that phrase. I study at a public college with a little over 30,000 people in attendance. You'd think that I could find one friend in the midst of all of those people right? Wrong. I found myself reverting back to hanging out with friends from back home, which isn't bad, but I wanted to meet new people as well. But this situation that I got myself into was entirely my fault. I was eating meals by myself, staying only in my dorm, and declining invitations to do anything by saying I had "studying" to do. I fell into the lies about my loneliness, so I'm going to warn you about these if you also find yourself discouraged.

1. No One Has The Time To Hang Out

No one has time to get to know new people. I have fed myself this line over and over again. I kept telling myself that no one had the time because everyone had to study or go to class. This is one of the biggest lies. Everyone has time at some point. Whether they have to go eat or run errands, everyone has the time. Invite someone to lunch, offer to drive someone to the grocery store, or even drive someone to the airport if they're needing to get home. By offering your help and giving up your own time you are opening up a door.


2. I Have Too Much Studying To Do

This one is a lot like the last one except you're making your own "studying" an excuse. I know how it goes. You sit down to study on your computer and then five minutes later you end up watching Netflix. If you really are going to study then that's fine, but the minute you take your five-minute break that turns into two hours you have no one to blame but yourself for skipping that dinner with a friend.


3. I'm Too Weird; People Don't Want To Know Me

I'm one of the most mature/immature people you will meet depending on the day. To give you an example, I can have deep talks with someone and then turn around that same day and play Webkinz (no shame). I freaked myself out by convincing myself that no one would like the real me so why try and make friends just to get rejected. As my mom always says "You will find your tribe." This phrase used to annoy me when she said it, but it's so true. There will always be people like you. Not everyone is going to think you are weird.


4. I'll Just Wait For Someone To Talk To Me

No, No, No. Go out of your way. If you want to find your tribe you're going to need to go outside your comfort zone and talk to people. I'm an introvert when I don't know people so I know how scary talking to someone you don't know can be. But how can you expect to make great friends if you aren't willing to talk to people and get to know them? Chances are they're just waiting for someone to talk to them too.


5. I'll Just Find A Friend Tomorrow

Why wait? What will change tomorrow? You'll still be lonely and you'll still talk yourself out of it. Now is the time to talk yourself into saying yes to going to eat with friends, starting a conversation about how ridiculous your professor is to the person sitting behind you, inviting someone from an organization you're involved in to go around town with you.

It's never too late to change the situation you are in. Positivity works wonders and that's what I'm starting to realize. I'm tired of feeling lonely and like I have no one when I actually do. There are so many people reaching out to me and all of these lies I've been feeding myself have finally come up as just that; lies. The truth is I have the time, old friends, organizations and opportunities that have given me the chance to get out of loneliness for a while. I've only grabbed at it recently, but it feels so amazing. I'm sure you have the same opportunities in your life, but you just need to clearly see them with a positive attitude. Once you do that you'll be amazed at how much brighter your years at your University look. I dreaded staying here for four years and it hasn't even been a whole semester, but now I am excited to see what my future holds here. Forever to thee, Carolina.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

2260
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1362
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200588
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21145
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments