Do you have experience meeting someone you met online? What are the things that you have learned after meeting them? Did you regret meeting them or not?
Because I, myself, had an experience when I was still a high school student. I admit that I am a rebellious kid. I'm seeking some attention from my parents because they don't pay attention to me. I set aside my introverted side when my girl classmate wants me to accompany her to meet with her online friends. In our country before, a clan was very popular in text messaging. You can meet a lot of people and have a chat with them. Facebook and other social media were not the trend before, so that was their way to communicate and meet some friends from other parts of our country.
Anyway, I remember how scared I am before I meet some people that I don't know. I am scared because who knows what will happen to us because we didn't know them personally? Right? So I learned that one of the two people that my classmate wants to meet is her boyfriend and his friend. Then that's also the reason why I was there because they set up something, and what was supposed to happen was a double date, but when I realized that, I refused, and that's the reason why I've never trusted that classmate of mine since then because she lied to me.
After that happened, I remembered how my grandparents always told me not to meet or trust someone I didn't know. If I am going to meet with someone, I should always make sure that I have a companion to meet up with them. Because a lot of children are in the news and are always reported missing, they are always reported as victims of rape, etc. So the fear of meeting someone is still here inside of me, and I am very careful about whom I will meet.
Anyway, that was in the past. However, even though I'm of legal age now, they still can't allow me to travel and meet someone, but sometimes they allow me to meet someone I need to meet, but with one condition: I should bring someone to accompany me. I admit that before, I had trantrums about that to my parents because I didn't enjoy my teenage life because they were too strict with me. But at this time, I understand why my parents are so strict because they are just worried, especially now that it's not so safe in our places anymore as there are a lot of crimes that are happening and being reported in the news.
Now that I have virtual friends that I meet online, thanks to cryptocurrency, I have found some people I am comfortable talking with since I don't have many friends here.
But did I ever think of meeting them in real life?
Of course! I really like to meet them. But then, I'm an introvert, and I don't know how to communicate well. I'm still afraid of meeting people—not of the fear that they will do something bad to me, but of what they will think of me when they see me in person. How I wish I could fight this feeling.
Speaking of meeting them, HivePH hosted an event for members of the community. They will have a meetup on April 29 (if I am not mistaken). Some of the people that will join for the meet up I'd like to meet personally to know more about them, and I also have someone in mind that I really want to meet. I am curious about this person, and I would like to prove my feelings to him. But sadly, I can't go. To be honest, I am struggling right now with too many family problems, battling with some toxic family members every day, and the cause is money. One more thing that I am thinking about is the huge amount that I need for my medicine. So though I would like to go to the meetup of the HivePH community, I don't have the money to use to go there and meet the person that I would like to meet.
If only I can fight the depression and stress, I will be able to write well since last month and earn more HIVE and HBD to solve this problem. But even joining this community blog contest is hard for me to finish because I feel demotivated and I can't think well. Hays
Anyway, let's not talk about that. I will just give my advice to everyone who is considering meeting their friends that they have met online.
So what are the advices that I can give to you?
Meeting someone that you meet online is risky sometimes. You know, the virtual world is very different from real life. Your virtual friend(s) can also change their personalities in virtual worlds; it's not about being dubious or losing trust in that "friend." But someone said to me before that, "Walang totoong pagkakaibigan sa virtual world."; "Maaring kinoconsider mo silang kaibigan, pero satingin mo ba ganon din yung tingin nila sayo?" I don't know how to explain these words, but I have learned this when I am confused and feel betrayed by some virtual people that I considered "before" to be real friends.
So though you already know them for how many months (or do you really know them?) there are still some possibilities that they can still do something behind your back. It's okay to meet them and know more about them, but don't invest too much of your feelings in them.
That is the only thing I can advise. When meeting people you know virtually, don't put too much trust in them.
But when you feel that they are really not that kind of person and are just from your own country, you have already seen their real faces in their profile pictures on social media, and there are a lot of people who witness that they are showing their real identities and personalities. They are safe to meet, but still, don't put too much trust in them and don't feel too invested in them.
Anyway, the last thing that I can say is Manage your expectations. that they will like you back; expect that sometimes they will judge you too in the back of their minds. "Ah, Eto pala siya sa personal."; "Ah, Ganito pala siya sa real life."; "Bakit parang iba siya kapag nasa blah blah blah." like that. However, you should also keep in mind that it is just a normal thing because this is the first time they will meet and know the real you.
CONCLUSION...
I am not the kind of person who is very good at giving advice about this kind of situation because I have never experienced meeting some people I know virtually. I just said what can be said when I am in the position of meeting the people I have talked to and met online in real life.
So this is all for today! Thanks for reading!
If you'd like to join in on this prompt contest, you can click this link and read more about it. Share your meet-up experiences and what are the advices you can give to us? Especially to some people like me who don't have much experience meeting someone they met online.
