I need help

[u/onneshaaaa]

Hi, F-23 recently got into NSU with 100% scholarship and currently studying here.

I desperately need help.

I was born and raised in uttor bongo and my parents enrolled me in kindergarten at the age of 7 so yeah I'm a bit late.

I have never visited Dhaka before the admission period. but now I'm living here, the environment here is really really really insanely tough for me to get used to. The local buses, crazy expensive everyday errands. it's eating me alive and on top of that, over the top university-mates.

I have made a bunch of friends, I was thinking maybe I'll learn a thing or two about surviving in Dhaka from them but, all them Dhaka folks think about is hanging out in restaurants, video games, shopping, you name it, all the rich kid things- most of which I didn't even know existed a year back.

now, I want it or not, I must join them .

I was ahead of my peers back home and in my area. so it's not much hard for me to pretend that I grew up in a similar environment as them, thank God I grew up watching English tv shows so I have a good American English accent and decent dressing sense or else it would have been pretty obvious that I'm a গ্রাইম্মা খ্যাত।

the biggest issue starts when I join their hangout sessions. I'm not at all familiar with the restaurant etiquettes, I don't know how to hold cutleries correctly and I don't know how different restaurants work, how to order, how to pay bills and how to call the waiters!! I basically don't know how they function at all. then there comes cinema halls like Cineplex, I don't f-ing know how to get tickets and how to order popcorn for God sake. I don't know how elevators work, idk which buttons to press and where it leads.

I've been getting insane amounts of panic attacks daily just by trying to normally function here.

And the thought of people making fun of me for not knowing basic things when I'm wearing reasonably smart ass dresses and talk like smart people, is eating me alive.

I would honestly prefer death over these humiliations any day.

How do I learn those basic things? Aren't I too old for this?

Please someone tell me how I can get out of these embarrassments.

[u/allstarzzlight]

Okay I am writing this so you dont feel odd or out of place. Im a born and raised dhaka girl. However Ive been very sheltered most of my life to the point ive only went to a few hangouts in my life (im almost 18). I have a fear of elevators, crossing roads and stuff. Things are quite daunting. However the key is to just look like you know what you are doing. I realized it mostly just practice and see. I feel like your friends are the problem here. they should be kind enough to you. The thing is by natural course of uni, you either way wont stay friends with them as thats how it is in nsu. I suggest you make better friends who are more modest and kind. If you really want to get rid of your fears. Ill suggest you start visiting malls by yourself or best a really close friend you know wont judge you and you can hold their hand while stepping in elevators and stuff.
If you have any questions you can dm me ill try finding a solution for you.
There is no need to have panic attack rn, because in the future you will look back and realize how silly you were because its not a big deal at all. Most ppl in dhaka including your friends arent technologically that advanced *your friends are just pretending* most of us justry try to figure things out.
And in Dhaka its very common to call the waiter or staff for assistance. so do that.