@coffeecups99 hiya! How's it going? 🙂
@Creamyyy Im good, how are you doing today?
@CoffeeCups99 im good. Woke up late. Doing my daily activities - walk, shower, eating . Which I find enjoyable and relaxing. How about you - how's the day coming?
My day so far today has been great, just finished my Uni stuff and I'm heading home right now. Besides cooking today I got no idea what to do besides maybe gaming for a bit and maybe cleaning my dorm room a bit. I am pretty bored and lonely usually.
@Creamyyy
@CoffeeCups99 what is your field of study, if you don't mind sharing?
Well since we are talking, maybe you will feel a tad bit less lonely and so will i 🙂
I am doing my masters in Molecular Microbiology, Ecology and Immunology. Its a big master curriculum comprising of subjects in those 3 areas and its basically research science so a lot of lab work with different things (bacteria, archaea, cell culture and so on). Right now I am doing a big practical course which is like a practice for my upcoming master thesis and I am working on studying nitrification inhibitors in soil. It’s pretty fun and my supervisor is really nice.
I mean ye chatting with other people does help reduce my loneliness, albeit temporarily, but still.
@Creamyyy So yeah I am pretty close to finishing my studies
@CoffeeCups99 oh I'm so glad you're enjoying what you're studying. It's so important to be in a field truly of your interest. Also it sounds like a very difficult field for someone like me . So im impressed. Having a supportive supervisor will facilitate your journey.
Do you at some times enjoy your loneliness? Like just feeling your own emotions, debating ideas in your mind, observing things around you ....
@Creamyyy
No, absolutely not, I hate it. I hate being lonely since I tend to deal with my emotions in really unhealthy ways in those kinds of moments. See I am someone who doesn’t really have many friends in general due to childhood trauma that I have been carrying and the ones I did meet was online through video games.
@CoffeeCups99 I won't say I can relate to you 100% but I have had a lonely time growing up as well-- not having people to share with in depth - because sometimes they weren't ready to listen or be able to understand and sometimes I was just too scared to try.
Anyhow I'm happy you've been trying meeting people online. Virtual spaces are really good to have a comfort space real life interactions don't always offer.
We do need people to survive.. it's a human need. So we have to endeavor developing skills to be social in some form.
@Creamyyy
I see. Well, at least I am glad that you didn’t end up like me, carrying a childhood trauma due to severe bullying that is affecting my social life even today.
To be honest, that phase of me searching for real friends online is pretty much over. I am tired of meeting, getting to know new people and to try and make friends. I am more or less here on 7Cups just because I want to share my story with people that I relate to in any way.
@CoffeeCups99 bullying is unacceptable. I'm so sorry you had to go through this... would you like to share more in that context - only if you feel comfortable about it? 🙂
@Creamyyy
I don’t really like to talk about it much into detail but what I can tell you, to summarise, I was bullied since 6 years old in elementary school for 9 years and then an additional 4 years in high school, mostly verbally and I was heavily isolated and neglected. Teachers didn’t do anything about it. Since then I developed massive abandonment trauma. It all stopped once I finished high school and left my home country to study my bachlors abroad but at that point, enough damage to my social skills, self-esteem and self-worth has been done.
@CoffeeCups99 childhood is such a vulnerable time. We havent developed a clear sense of self and if we have cruel experiences it can be really difficult and confusing to navigate life. In spite of it you made your way forward to university abroad - there is so much strength in that whether you realise it or not. You also seem aware of what happened to you was wrong .... which is also progress. ...
@Creamyyy
Yeah its true. I mean it left me pretty emotionally scarred as an adult, pretty socially awkward and also suffering from social anxiety.
@CoffeeCups99 How are you today mate ?
🙂
@CoffeeCups99 How are you today mate ?
🙂
@CoffeeCups99 How are you today mate ?
🙂
@Creamyyy
I am doing good. You?
@CoffeeCups99 I'm okay as well..contemplating on how to do more work in the limited time we have in a day. Day just flies away and i achieve a few things but there is so much left to do.
What are your thoughts like today?
@Creamyyy
Nothing much really. Just been feeling sorta neutral today. Tomorrow I got some lab work until the afternoon so this will keep my mind occupied.
@Creamyyy
Hey how are you doing?
@CoffeeCups99 hi coffee. I'm okay. Just hanging in. Not a productive day. Just been managing my emotions. Maybe that's good as well- without emotional health how can one progress?
Anyhow how are you feeling? How's the day been?
@Creamyyy
Im doing somewhat ok. Just had a really uneventful and boring day, like every weekend. Got some work to do tomorrow to prepare for next week’s lab work. Thing that sucks is that none of my friends are available to chat with me so I resort to chatting here I guess.
@Coffeecups99 boredom is a problem but I'm glad it's not interfering in your ability to do your work .... there must be some relief in that?
Chatting here is actually pretty nice - at least for me - so many wise and caring people - I'm always surprised the world can be so kind.
@Creamyyy
Fair enough I guess, good for you. I wish I could believe that the world is actually kind and caring for someone like me as well but oh well 🤷♂️. I will say chatting here at least for me helps me cope/distract a little bit, albeit temporarily.
@CoffeeCups99 yeah it's not possible to force a belief on yourself but I hope that as you will continue to chat with others , it will make you grow in new directions.
So you said you play video games - what sort of games do you play? I played some in my childhood.
What other things do you like in the world around you - nature? Food? Music? Anything like that
@Creamyyy
Multiplayer games, like League of Legends and World of Tanks. Its how I met most of my close friends nowadays, although as times passed we don’t hang out as much as we used to (they just got very busy).
Well I listen to metal music, actually am a huge metalhead 😅, I watch a lot of variety YT content. When it comes to Movies/shows, was mainly into watching horror movies, sometimes action movies and when it comes to shows mainly anime, although I don’t do that as much anymore.
@coffeecups99 oh interesting our tastes are absolutely opposite. I'm into light romantic music and movies... or some drama that teaches you something... I run away from horror and action...
What few words would you use to describe your personality traits?
@Creamyyy
Honest, pretty upfront and kind-hearted. I am a pretty direct, straightforward and genuine person and I treat people with respect.
@CoffeeCups99 you sound kind indeed 🙂
@Creamyyy
Thanks 😊. What about you? What would you say are your key personality traits?
@CoffeeCups99 I'm humble, respectful, compassionate.
But I find it hard to fit in the world around me and I don't think people see these things in me .. so I wonder sometimes who I really am
@Creamyyy
I can relate. I struggle a lot in the social aspect (socialising, making friends) of life as a consequence of my bullying and I don’t see any aspect of my personality or my interests that would be interesting to people. And people as a result don’t really pay too much attention to me. In social gatherings, I am quite silent and don’t really contribute much to a conversation unless if its something that I have some knowledge on. So, in a nutshell I feel invisible, but…I have sorta gotten used to it and sorta made peace with it (I jokingly call my invisibility my superpower 😅).
@CoffeeCups99 I feel like a lot of people feel this way.. sometimes invisible, sometimes misinterpreted (this is where I fit). We want to be recognised in the right way to have good confidence.
I think a shift to virtual spaces like these is a really good step in today's times. Because it slows down things. When we put ourselves in writing people grow to see what they can't feel otherwise.
Also I don't think people who are popular or seem to fit in perfectly in society have essentially more meaningful lives than those who are less acknowledged. There is an inner world to everyone, there are struggles for all... we are all in it together.
Any thoughts on my thoughts?
@Creamyyy
I think what you are saying is totally valid and I totally agree. For me at least, talking to people in online spaces is a bit easier because you have more control over the interaction with people, you have time to think and respond, you don’t have to read body language or worry about it and can choose who to interact/walk away easier. Which it contributes to less social pressure. However this can be a bad thing because, in that sense, you are not truly getting to know a person that well and your more or less scratching the surface. In this regard, I don’t think online spaces are really that good for making any real, long-lasting friends unless if the person on the other side is committed to progress the friendship from their side as well.
My father constantly berrates me for staying online and chatting with people and says how I should be trying to make friends IRL instead of online (because its how he did it and because virtual spaces weren’t a thing back in his day). And so I tried. And I found out that it barely makes any difference.
@Creamyyy
What I am trying to say in a nutshell, virtual spaces are good for casual, short term hangouts with random people but I don’t think its fair to say that your making “friends” there. It’s why I don’t like to use the word “friend” and I think the word “good acquaintance” is better/more accurate. But then again the reason I was trying to find real friends online is because I didn’t have much luck finding them IRL to begin with.
@CoffeeCups99 parents may not understand you well or respect your differences. My mother thinks I waste money and time reading books. So well, you got to let them think how they wish to, and not let them put you in self doubt.
Regarding friendships on virtual spaces.. i feel differently... I feel friendship shouldn't be loaded with responsibility because it will fail the test.. just having light conversations with people is a good enough form of friendship. For me, the people I've met on this app in the last four years have had much greater impact on me than the real life friends I had ... friendship is about spiritual connect... if you feel it online , then hanging out doesn't quite matter... the connection stays in your heart and nurtures you.
When I talk to people here, I'm not just killing time. I truly value the experience life is giving me. I feel the energy of people in their words and i connect with them on a permanent level, of bringing some shift in me, and giving something away to them.. even if we don't continue to talk ..
Also, lasting friendships are also possible ... I don't expect because that would be putting pressure on others but it can happen...
@Creamyyy
I guess for me its different is because I have been raised to think that you need to hang out with people in order to establish friendships. I couldn’t do that very well in my childhood (if at all), so I resorted to video games and I was really desperate to connect with people at the time on like a deeper level (on like a personal level) because I didn’t really understand real friendships (and till this day I still do not fully get it, although my understanding of it has slightly improved over the years). Nowadays, that phase of me seeking new connections with people is pretty much gone because I am growing sick of chasing after people (I am just done trying to connect with anyone). You could say I have a hard time letting things go. I am still trying to maintain with my connections with the people I already knew from back then, but its getting tiring and eventually I will stop doing that as well and just go back to being alone (like I was during childhood).
This app for me is more to kill time and cope with that pain of loneliness/depression/abandonment trauma by sharing my story. I don’t expect anyone to want to be my friend here either because I also agree that it could be worse putting pressure on others.
I am not saying lasting friendships are impossible…they are just rare on online platforms, which makes it unreliable in my opinion (but there is less pressure compared to IRL).
I don't think one should have to "chase" friends. But I feel your state. I felt like that once too. But I made peace with loneliness. Lowering expectations can be hard at first but then you adjust. No point of one-sided friendships where the other side doesn't see your worth or puts you down etc.
I enjoy doing things on my own. It's more enjoyable than being with bad company.
Know your worth... don't let others define it for you 🙂
@Creamyyy
Absolutely. I mean I am trying to make peace with it as well but its still pretty tough for me to completely lower my expectations, but i think I’ll come around eventually, but from there I don’t plan to adjust my expectations anymore. And to be honest, its not really people that other people put me down or see my worth. I am putting myself down because I feel like I am unworthy/worthless of anything that I have in life. This could be as a result of my trauma, which I guess its where we differ. So in way, I feel like I don’t have any worth whatsoever to begin with.
@CoffeeCups99 oh I'm sorry you feel that way. You sound quite worthy to me. ❤️
@Creamyyy
Thanks 😊. You seem like a lovely person as well.
@CoffeeCups99 have you ever considered creating a gratitude journal? It's one of my most favorite things to do. In the beginning I couldn't think of so many things but with time the list has been growing. It brings me so much joy being alive. It's a very fun activity if you feel like trying.
@Creamyyy
I will admit it’s an interesting idea but I'm not sure if this will work for me (in terms of bringing me joy to life). Nowadays not many things bring me joy often and I'm skeptical to try new things. But I’ll think about it and maybe consider it if I am bored enough 😅
@CoffeeCups99 do you want to do it together? Like we go in turns thinking of one thing we are grateful for. We can stop when we are bored. This way we will learn about each other as well :)
Otherwise we could talk about something else - you suggest!
@Creamyyy
I guess we could do it like that sure 😊. We could do both tbh. I am happy to small talk about almost anything. Idk how well will I be able to contribute to certain topics because my knowledge on certain things is pretty limited, but I can try my best to contribute somehow.
@CoffeeCups99 great so we can start and whenever it becomes boring we can switch to some new thing to reflect upon.
Well for me right now -- I feel grateful for having your company. Not trying to be cheesy. I'm genuinely feeling annoyed by somethings and being able to have a conversation with a gentle person like yourself is healthy.
I'm also feeling grateful for the clothes I'm wearing. They have a nice feel to them. And are enhancing my feeling of feeling good.
Your turn. 🙂
@Creamyyy
Thank you ☺️, you’re so sweet. I’ll say that I am also grateful for your company and to be able to talk to such a lovely person such as yourself who in a way understands what I am going through, which I don’t get a lot these days.
I am also grateful for the masters that I am studying and how I got there in the first place. I enjoy my studies and the people that I met there. This makes me hopeful for my future ahead.
@CoffeeCups99 I'm grateful for being guided to my religion. In the darkest of times I've recited the verses from the book of God and found relief for my heart.
I'm also grateful for the music I listen to. Good words and melodies are a cure for me.
@Creamyyy
I am also grateful for the music I listen to. The beautiful guitar work in metal music relieves me of stress and anxiety. I am also grateful for the people that I have in my life who appreciate for who I am and respect me
@CoffeeCups99 I'm grateful for the vanilla ice cream I had last night. It's taste is still lingering on my taste buds. And it made me life was actually quite good
@Creamyyy
Sorry for the late response, just had the busiest lab day.
On that note, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to eat my lunch…at 6 pm 💀. Yeah I am grateful that I didn’t die of starvation today 😂
Had to prepare 100 samples 💀 without a break
@CoffeeCups99 that sounds like a lot of work.
I've spent my entire day on Google searching for good children's books to gift to my teen nephews. I thought it would be an hour's job but I couldn't like anything.... exhausted but happy I got it done finally!!
@coffeecups99 haha good humor there. I feel grateful for food too. I especially love my evening tea... 💕
@Creamyyy
Yeah It was a lot of work 😅. 10 hours in the lab alone 💀 (not counting commuting and the break). And when I got outside after finishing it was raining 💀
On an additional note, I feel grateful that I managed to finish today’s work and got home in one piece 😂
@CoffeeCups99 lol. Jokes apart, well done, you're diligent - not everyone can work so long 🙌
@Creamyyy
Hey, how are you doing?
@CoffeeCups99 Hiya! I'm well. Just seeing things around the house. There's always something out of order .. and trying to communicate better to people to get things done.
How are you?
@Creamyyy
I am good. Finished lab work for today which wasn’t much, just doing some sampling. Its still tedious and annoying, but thats what science is, so it is what it is.
@CoffeeCups99 work and work going on? Give yourself a lovely treat ..
I'm planning to give myself one too even though I haven't done a lot of work :/
@Creamyyy
Well Uni stuff is important and since I am getting close to starting my master thesis, it’s important that I focus on that. Can’t afford to be bored, lonely and depressed and idk what kind of treat would I give myself anymore anyway 😂
@Creamyyy
Why do you feel like you haven’t done a lot of work?
@Creamyyy
Hey 😊, how are you doing?
Hope you're doing well.
Just checking in
I haven't been around as much as I used to be.
@CoffeeCups99
Hey how are you doing…happy new year.
I just wanted to tell you smth I didn’t tell you a while ago because I didn’t think it was that important at the time, but I am actually very suicidal and have been for the past year or so and its been really hard for me to keep my thoughts in check haha…I feel like a worthless loser who doesn’t deserve anything and anyone and doesn’t matter to anyone and I feel like I am better off dead than anything. So yeah…I just wanted to share this because I wasn’t open about it before and its the new year so I want to be open about it now…if you think your not comfortable with it, just let me know, I wont mention it ever again and we never have to talk again…I know noone cares anyway…all I wanted was to clear the air and no longer hide anything…
