The discussion concerning the question whether Internet friends are real friends or not is probably as old as the Internet itself. It's 2018 and I'm tired to talk about this topic but I guess there is still a need to talk. So let's do this. Today I'm going to speak about my experiences, both real life and online friendships.
To make things clear, I'm not ashamed to say that I don't really have any friends where I live (except for one, but she's family to me). It's not my fault that most of my friends are born in the back of beyond. Do I miss going out with a group of friends? I would be lying if I said no, but as I'm introverted, lazy and scared of the dark, I can't complain too much.
Coming back to the topic, there isn't too much to say about my real life friendships. I had many friends over the years, in kindergarden, school or my apprenticeship. That's one of the problems already. Talking of my own experience, most real life friendships are partnerships of convenience. You don't meet them because you share the same interests. You meet them because you're at the same place and the same time as they are. Of course, you can be lucky and meet someone who likes the same things as you do but let's be real, if you have a unique hobby or interest in general, that's unlikely to happen. I don't want to demonize real life friendships. For God's sake, I cannot deny that I had great times back then. It's more the way most of my real life friendships ended - with me, crying because they hurt me in some way.
Years have passed. I'm lucky to say that I have met people who changed my life for good. There is Agnes who I met online summer 2016. I posted a picture of a Tangled pin in my Instagram story, when she asked me from which resort it was from. That was the beginning of a wonderful and lasting friendship. We started to write each other on a daily basis and she introduced me to her brother Kelvin. The mutual love for Disney forged a bond between us and over time we realized that it's not the only thing that connected us. Agnes and Kelvin are from Hong Kong, I'm from Germany. Who would have thought that a friendship could work even though there are over 9,000 km that keep us apart? I've met them both in person already, Kelvin in summer 2017 and Agnes in January 2018. When I picked them up from the airport (yes, they crossed frontiers to meet me, if that's not friendship goals, I don't know what is), it felt so natural to meet them. It wasn't awkward or weird in any way and they were just as I expected them to be. I only met Kelvin for one day (but we'll meet on December 28 again), but Agnes was here for a whole weekend and it was one of the best weekends I ever had. We talked and laughed so much, watched movies together and simply had the best time ever. Agnes is one of the most unselfish, caring, sincere and lovely persons I've ever met. She always knows when I'm feeling down and helps me as much as she can. Our friendship is based on mutual support, trust and respect.
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| January 2018 ✨ |
"Exceptions prove the rule.", some might say. No, they are no exception. Sometime in the beginning of 2016, I also got to know Jenny. She commented underneath one of my posts on Instagram and over the years, a marvellous friendship arised. Jenny is literally Snow White. She is kind, courageous, sweet, helpful - and one of the best persons I know. I'm so grateful to call her my friend. She likes me the way I am and even tells me not to change, something I'm really grateful for as I often have self doubts. Then there is Josi. We've known each other through Twitter and met this summer in DLP. It was just as with Agnes and Kelvin - as if we always knew each other. She is such a sweetheart! But the real magic started a few weeks ago...
After years and years of being jealous of all the girls on Social Media who go to Disney Parks together with their Disney addicted friends, I finally can call myself one of them! Jenny introduced Josi and me to her lovely best friend Bianca and together we'll go to DISNEYLAND PARIS! We probably have the best group chat ever and I'm so happy to have my own girl squad now! We'll be staying in my dream hotel, Newport Bay Club from May 30 to June 2 and celebrate Jenny's birthday there. What a dream come true!
Coming back to my Internet friendships, I didn't meet all of them on regular Social Media. Like my cutie pie Julia, who I know from MyFigureCollection. Even though she's the youngest of all my friends, she's the wisest of them and I admire her. She has gone through so much shit in her life and yet she's such a strong, caring and loving person. What a cinnamon roll. Talking to her is so therapeutic and I hope that every human has a Julia in their life. I call myself a mum friend but on a scale of friend-types, she'd be a nurse friend. I can tell her everything and she will always have the right words for me. When my will to live was on it's lowest point, she wrote me messages that brought tears to my eyes. I'm still touched when I think about them. I hope that I can be as much of a good friend to her as she is to me.
And there is Becci, my sister from another mister. She's my oldest friend, we've known each other for more then three years now and also came into contact on MyFigureCollection. We're kinda soul mates. We have the same interests like Disney, Love Live, Doctor Who, etc. and share the same humour and taste of music.
It's not really my own experience with Internet friendship, but I want to talk about the best example of how it turned into something beautiful. Just as me, my brother has always been unlucky when it came to real life friends, but it's different for the friends he met online. When he was still living at home, they would meet up every few months and they had so much fun that it filled my heart with joy. But the real success story is that he met his girlfriend in an online game. My brother has been living in Cologne with her for several years now, 3 1/2, I believe? They love each other so much, I'm sure that they'll be together forever.
I've had even more positive experiences with Internet friendships, but that should be enough to silent dumb people stating that they are not real. I'm so grateful to have my friends in my life. I don't know where I would be today without them. I love you gals. ♥
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