Konting kembot na lang, meetup na! Excited na ba kayo? In a few days' time, I'm going to meet my new online friends. This isn't the first time I'm meeting with friends online though. 
Before that meetup, I was excited and anxious at the same time. I only met these people online and we did not have any common friends irl. The internet, while it is intended to connect people with each other, may still be full of unsafe characters. Luckily, the friends I met were the nicest people I know now. They have become my friends for keeps. Oli's wife and I became close friends too even if we only met each other in person once.
Would you meet up with your online friends? Why or why not?
How will you be feeling?
Someone once told me before that a stranger is a friend you haven't known yet. While it is always safe to not talk to any random strangers you see, chatting online is a good way of meeting new friends without having to step out of your house and actually meet the stranger face to face. It's a whole lot safer. At a certain point though, once you feel you've known each other more, you'll want to actually meet face to face. Luckily, my online friends and I felt the same way.
I wanted to meet them personally because I wanted to build a deeper friendship with them. I felt at that time that I am ready to add another circle of friends for life. I may be one of the lucky ones because the friends that I met are truly for keeps.
It is a gamble when you meet your online friends in person. There are people who has an entirely different personality when they're in front of the screen. The connection (or spark if you may) might not be there once you meet them in real life. Some people even stop communicating online after meeting each other in person. Oh well, life's a gamble anyway. I'm still going to meet up with my online friends.
There are are few things though that I need to do to ensure a fun filled meetup.
I need to make sure I know where we're going. Like what
Also, make sure that someone else knows where you are and who you are with. My husband is not that strict when it comes to meeting up with friends but he needs to know the details so he does not get worried. (Ingat lagi guys, ako kasi iniingatan na.) When I told him TP will be there, he did not ask any further questions. (siguro kasi knows nyang di na ako maliligaw, may kasama na ako)
During the meetup, be there in the moment. We are bloggers, so we might feel the need to focus on memory keeping as opposed to enjoying the moment. Take photos, yes, but put that phone down and enjoy the company and get to know the people more. Bilang videoke naman ito, i-enter mo na lahat ng songs na gusto mong kantahin beshy!
Be your best self. It is good that you be yourself, but when meeting new people, it is always best to put your best foot forward. You don't need to pretend, but that does not mean na magwawalwal ka or aangkinin mo ang mikropono. (Parang note to self ito ah.🤔) Most of all, be respectful. Online, we are filtered. We know that each person is different, we just need to make sure that we respect those differences.
But most importantly, have fun. The meetups I've gone to have all been so much fun. No worries, no problems, just pure fun. These meetups are a chance for each and everyone of us to unwind and relax while getting to know each other. So have fun and enjoy. See you soon!!!
