Making Internet Friends Is A Thing, Provided You Meet The Right Ones

“Internet is a dark place.”

I have grown up listening to this phrase and while this still does scare me to an extent, I don’t think it is that much of a villain as we make it out to be.

When it comes to the usage of the Internet, people do have a very wrong misconception about it. Some think it is only good to keep you updated with the latest happenings and events around you or even just connect with your friends that you already know in real life, because, let’s be real, who wants to connect with real-life friends in reality? Right?

With so many speculations and such restrictions, I always thought the prospect of “Internet Friends” as something arbitrary and not real. After all, is the person on the other side of the screen actually who they claim to be?

This is one of the factors that always prevented me from going out of my way to meet new people online because I thought my privacy might be invaded.

It is true that the internet isn’t as safe of a place as many think it as but you have got to take the risks every now and then, right?

Did I make friends on the internet?

If you asked me this 3-4 years back, I would have laughed at your face because who even makes friends online, right?

But, if you ask me this now, I would say that yes, I have multiple Internet friends, ones that I cherish more than I could express. It is definitely something that I didn’t think I’d ever do but when you have your trust broken by people who claimed to be “friends” in real life, you seek escape in the virtual world.

And, I don’t regret any part of it. Mainly because of the fact that I have found some people on there whom I am going to keep forever.

Having internet friends is a thing. Getting friends for life on the internet is a reality and not a myth. It is hard for people to find reliable ones but given someone who is a huge believer in fate, I definitely think that if it is meant to happen, it most likely will.

You don’t just cross paths with people, it is something that is meant to happen and does happen for a reason altogether.

Where did I find my “Internet friends”?

Well, Twitter.

Yeah. Laugh it out.

But, it’s true.

I was feeling so adventurous that I even moved in with one after knowing her for a year. Yeah, it happens.

For my sake and yours, I won’t be disclosing the stan twitter account that I run but let me tell you that the place has gifted me with some bittersweet memories. Being a fan of the famous British Boyband, One Direction, was what I believed was a huge turning point in my life.

Not only did I venture into the rabbit hole of Twitter and made some friends for life, but I have also grown as a person on this social media platform.

Yes, I am 24 years old and I am crazy about a boyband, sue me!

But, I can’t roll back from the fact that the kind of exposure I have had there is nothing short of amazing. I have met people from across the world, some from the United Kingdom, some from the United States and some even from Spain and Germany.

For a socially awkward kid like me, I was on a roll when I first opened my stan twitter account back in 2014. I felt needed, heard and that was definitely something I wasn’t going to give up.

I met new people, I made friends, I moved to a different state with one I knew for a year.

Sounds very risky, doesn’t it?

I was testing my levels, breaking the walls I built around and stepping out of my comfort zones.

And, you know what the best part of this was? I wouldn’t have done any of it if I didn’t meet people online, on Twitter. I probably would have just stuck to my confines, not stepping out of them and exploring things that I am doing now.

Making friends online is a thing that I got to know when I first opened my Twitter account. It is quite embarrassing now when I look back on some of the cheesy tweets that I made back in the initial days.

But, would I change any of it?

The answer is a big NO. Mainly because of the fact that each one of those tweets pushed me a step closer to making one of the friends that I have now. I have received so many gifts and merchandises from them and it is not just about the materialistic value behind the same but the small gesture, the small ode to a friendship shared through the computer screens, that I will treasure for a lifetime.

Would I recommend meeting people online?

Yes. Definitely.

The only thing I would suggest is to be safe.

We live in a world where believing in your own people is a matter of thing you need to ponder on. So, no, I wouldn’t suggest you believe anyone right off the bat.

If you follow some artists internationally, Twitter and Tumblr are amazing places to meet new people and make friends who are crazy about the same things as you.

When you meet stans like yourself, it does make you feel a little less awkward and crazy.

Make sure that if you get creepy vibes from any part of it, step away right that moment.

Just because I struck gold with my Internet besties doesn’t mean you will also find the best and the most reliable ones right off the bat.

Take your time with this and trust me, you will find someone on the same wavelength as you.

Internet friends aren’t just virtual; you can meet actual people and make friends you appreciate for a lifetime.