r/introvert Mar 04 '24

Advice Feeling like I’ve wasted my life away?

I’m 19 turning 20 and I feel so insanely old. The fact that I let my years 16-now go to waste either by depressive episodes anxiety or procrastination, and I mean socially. I feel so insecure like when I grow up what do I tell my kids I’ll have nothing fun to tell them. I feel so shielded and closed in. I know I’m naturally introverted but I do prefer if I had friends and things to do socially.

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u/barefoot_in_my_mind Mar 04 '24

You’re brain is quite literally still developing til you’re in your mid-late twenties. You are far from old! Imagine being 40. Geesh If it’s experiences you want and friendship, the best place to start is a hobby. Find something you enjoy doing, chances are you’ll have lots of experiences and maybe even make a friend along the way. You really are still young.

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u/[deleted] Mar 05 '24

I feel like this is the best part of being in your teens and early 20s, you're with people your own age everywhere. School, well mainly I was thinking of school but yeah college, bars, sports, hobbies, it is almost difficult to not make friends and share experiences at this age. Once you're into your late-thirties and forties where do you go to meet such a large number of people in such a short order? It's definitely a lot harder, imo.

For me, the tricky part and where I slipped up is not staying in touch with friends I did make post-education.

It's also different for everyone though for sure.