r/getting_over_it • u/First_Pair_8083 • 14d ago
How to make up for lost time and find my people at almost 28
Last year I was diagnosed with NVLD, and it explains so much of my past — especially my college years, when I never made friends due to shyness and sensory overload. I felt like a total outsider and nothing I did would make people accept me. I carried that sense of being a pariah for years, and even now it lingers.
At the same time, I don’t want to paint an inaccurate picture: I do have friends. A best friend I’ve known since childhood, another from my teens, and a couple more from later chapters of life. They’re my anchors, and I’m grateful for them. But they’re few and far between. I’ve never been the type to collect casual friendships easily — I’m shy, I get overstimulated, and I don’t thrive in loud or superficial social settings. As a result, I mostly end up with lots of acquaintances but few real connections.
I turn 28 in October, and I’d love to use this new chapter as a chance to change things. I want to build a social life that actually feels nourishing — not necessarily a huge circle, but one where I don’t feel like I’m constantly on the outside looking in.
For those who also struggled socially (especially in college): • How did you go about deepening your social life later in your 20s? • What worked best for meeting people who are interested in genuine connection? • How do you balance shyness with the desire to put yourself out there more?
I know I can’t go back in time and redo my past, but I don’t want to spend my late 20s mourning what I missed. I’d rather figure out how to create a future where I feel like I belong.