Tuesday, September 23, 2026

The Thing About Friendships

Friendship

"The World Didnt End When My Friendships Became Smaller."

Something I tell myself often. For a long time, my biggest challenge wasn't a difficult class or an impossible test, it was feeling completely isolated. Growing up, I struggled to make friends and often felt like an outsider looking in. School felt overwhelming, not because of the workload, but because of the energy it took to navigate social settings where I felt like I didn’t belong. I was always a quiet kid. And I am not exaggerating when I say I chose to be mute. I had difficulty speaking english and was insecure of my accent. As well as having two speech impediments. I had a lisp and a stutter which only worsened my social anxiety.

Waiters could never hear my order no matter how hard I tried to speak up, the mere thought of presenting in front of my class made me cry. That persistent sense of loneliness began to affect my academic performance. In middle school and early high school, I spent class periods feeling anxious about group projects or reluctant to speak up during discussions. My fear of judgment made me retreat inward. I hesitated to ask teachers for help when I was struggling, and my grades and overall confidence took a hit because I was processing everything completely alone. I had friends but no one to call a true friend.

Overcoming this obstacle wasn't an overnight transformation, but taking those risks gradually shifted my mindset. As I built a support system and found my footing socially, my academic environment transformed from a source of stress into a space where I felt engaged. My confidence returned, my active participation in class improved, and my grades steadily climbed.

Most importantly, navigating loneliness taught me self-reliance and empathy. It made me aware of others who might be sitting on the sidelines, prompting me to actively include classmates during group work or discussions. Overcoming this personal challenge didn't just help me make friends it gave me the communication skills and self-assurance I need to advocate for myself and contribute meaningfully to a campus.

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