As I’ve mentioned in a few previous posts, I have social anxiety. Despite it still feeling crippling at times, it has been easier to manage over the past year. This allowed me to join a few social groups through the MeetUp app, which is a social platform that connects people who have shared interests by arranging in-person or virtual groups and events.
I am part of the leadership team in one of the groups I joined, meaning I help think of, organize, or host events. During the summer I hosted a couple of events by myself after previously cohosting. The first event I hosted was a lunch at a vegan cafe.
Besides the nerves of this being my first solo event, hosting this event wasn’t bad at all. I knew most of the people who came, and there were only 10 of us. We had a good time eating lunch and answering icebreakers I brought out.
The next event I hosted was at the ropes course in New Haven. Once again, there were only about 10 people. This time, however, it was a mix of familiar faces and new people. It wasn’t a problem though since everyone was nice, so it was a good time.
It was my first time doing a ropes course, so all the anxiety I’d normally have for socializing went towards this thrill seeking activity. I even managed to ride the huge zip-line across the room multiple times. After the ropes course, some of us then went to get pizza.
After the event, I received positive feedback about my hosting abilities. I always have doubts about literally everything I do, so reading the kind messages from those who came to the event was nice.
In conclusion, I really like this group. It truly feels like a family. I’m always looking forward to future events, whether I go as a regular participant, or now if I host. I still prefer sharing the hosting responsibilities with someone else though lol. ~ T
