Internet Connections.

Outside WiFi.

We’ve been bouncing around the world these past few years, and first things first, I am so grateful to be in the position to even utter those words. “Used to pray for times like this” *Meek Mill’s voice*.

We learned a lot, picked up stories and had some real life-altering experiences. Along the way, one thing that really stood out to us was just how many people we knew and were able to connect with in these new environments. Being in countries thousands of miles from home and still managing to move around as a local and not a tourist is a rare experience but that was the case for us. The web of people we somehow already knew made navigating insomniac New York (they don’t sleep there) or cry-baby London (it rains a lot there) a piece of cake. The more we spoke about how we knew so many people, we started to notice something. Most of these people we’d never even met in person, but somehow, it felt like we’d known them for years. How was this possible?

While sitting in a room with a bunch of strangers and yelling out different opinions about what’s happening on the tv, you start to notice what makes these people tick and also what pique’s their interest. Where they stand on different matters come to the forefront and how they react to the perspective of others becomes apparent.

Now imagine the tv is your timeline, and the living room is Twitter (currently known as ‘X’ but we will never acknowledge that).

Subtly, as new stories and programmes come online, you continue to see their preferences and who they are. Their taste, their tone, what they amplify, what they ignore. Sure, some of it might be extremely curated or performative and some people might fake it from time to time but a true internet native can kinda sniff out the bullsh*t. Hanging out in this room made it so much easier when it came to meeting these people in real life. The sweaty palms and anxiety you’d get from talking to someone new for the first time wasn’t really present because in reality turns out you knew these people and it translates. All those hours spent cooped up on Twitter during the pandemic wasn’t wasted. Something real had been built. It was beautiful because people we’ve never met let us sleep in their homes, meet their friends and were comfortable around us. That kind of trust, born online, is wild. Kinda fascinating.

Living on the internet, some people put on a persona, some try to showcase a lifestyle that’s not real to impress others while some just scroll and consume. But those being authentically themselves, sharing a perspective while investigating the perspectives of others and actively seeking out like minded individuals to be in community with are utilizing this tool in the best way possible. For people who feel different, misunderstood, “stuck” in small towns (far way places) or find it difficult to find like-minded people, the internet is the best place to go. Yes, it doesn’t entirely solve the problem, but it opens you up to finding people with similar interests, engage in thought provoking conversations, explore new ideas and even future friends who’ll show you around when you travel to new unfamiliar places.

Talking to people online, builds a certain comfort and that connection doesn’t have to stay digital so don’t be scared to take it offline, go out there and meet people in real life. Obviously, move smart and stay safe, but the internet, when used right is a powerful and beautiful tool for finding your people. DM someone you find cute today and let them know you feel that way. End the message with ‘hope you have a great day’. No pressure.

Hope you have a great day,
WM