Blending in with new friends and environments

It’s something that’s always been difficult for me. And I think the reason for that is that I’m usually too straightforward. I don’t like going around in circles in an effort to express something that can be said in a few words, even if the latter may come across as rude.

It’s because of this perhaps brutal honesty that I’m not too good at blending in with new friends. And as a consequence, I have trouble coping with new environments.

Something that’s inherently supposed to be comfortable, like living in a 5-star hotel with two friends for four days in India, becomes difficult because of something as simple as a different room layout.

I’m not comfortable with change in my routine, for some reason. I’m sure some other people have problems with these kinds of changes too, but they probably cope up pretty quickly and without too much hassle.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of me.

I know that it’s very essential to be forthcoming in one’s attitude, and to be a friendly person in new environments. Only then can one make friends quickly.

Too much of a good thing isn’t a good thing. One needs to be partially picky in choosing one’s friends. This is not only for one’s own safety, but also to have good and dependable company in pursuing any activity or studying in a university or doing anything else.

Some of my classmates are particularly good at this, and I notice that in new environments, they quickly make good friends and blend in with them in no time. And all the while, they don’t change themselves or lose the individuality that defines their personality.

It’s very difficult for me to become like that, likely because I’m not a very extrovert and social person. That’s not to say that I’m a complete introvert, but past experiences have shaped my nature of not trusting anybody completely when meeting them for the first time.

Something that I believe is my strength as well as a vulnerability, is that once I trust somebody, I trust them completely. It’s a strength because this helps my part of the friendship be committed and strong. It’s a weakness because my heart is broken when my friends break my trust.

When the latter occurs, it makes me even more reserved. And others perceiving me as a taciturn person is one of the last things I – or anybody for that matter – need to start making some new friends.

This aspect of my behaviour may seem attractive to some people (I’m sure there are very few people – possibly me alone), but not to most others.

I like to help and spend quality time with others, doing whatever they’d (or sometimes I’d) like to do. Maybe this particular part of my behaviour will help people overlook that part of me that is brutally honest and trusting and committed.

Maybe that’s a good thing too.