Blood Relations

Imagine the most crazy family reunion you've ever been to. You know, with the drunk aunts, naked uncles, punk cousins, rich grandparents, etc. You look around and think, "are these people really related to me?" You can't believe that the eighty-year-old dancing on the table is really a blood relation. Or maybe you see the resemblance all too well. And yet, these are the people that you are connected to. For life.

These people haunt your every waking hour, from the moment your mom calls to see if you're alive to the time when your older sibling outshines you in an activity, to the day when your dad decides to teach you how to fix a car. They seem like the most annoying people you know, the most obnoxious, nagging, persistent family ever, and you wish they would just leave you alone. But they can't.

You are tied to them and they are tied to you in a way that can never be broken. You may not believe me, but there will come a time when you will appreciate this bond. There are moments in life when all our friends abandon us, everything we held dear is ripped from our grasp, and the priorities we once had are switched around entirely. The moment that happens to you, you will realize that the one stable thing in your life that can never change is who you're related to. In that moment, the best thing you can do is call up a family member and tell them all their woes. Because even if you despise them, they will understand the gravity of the situation simply by the fact that you're calling them.

So, if you're looking for a best friend, turn to your sister, if you need advice, ask your father, if you need a guy to spend your Saturday evenings with, invite your brother to a movie. Trust me, it'll be worth it.

Hey There!

You have no idea of the power of these words. Reaching out to someone you don't know can be one of the most important things you ever do. Asking someone you know how they're doing can change the course of your life forever. Caring about anyone can make the world a different place.

Personally, I'm an introvert, and I hate being around people. One or two really close friends is fine, but when it comes to big groups or people I don't know, I feel like crawling into a corner and hiding until they go away. This not being an option in most social situations, so I choose instead to introduce myself.
"Hey! Are you new here? What's your name? Where are you from? Why are you here? What is the most important thing in the universe?" Questions like these follow, and I either end up in a very awkward situation, or with a new best friend. Usually, the former, but on the rare occasion that the latter happens, it's completely worth all the awkward situations in the world.

People are lonely. Everyone could use a friend. No man is an island. Perhaps the next time you see someone in need, you could reach out to them instead. This isn't just hard for introverts either, extroverts seem to have a hard time focusing on one person and helping them out in time of need. Sometimes that person just needs you to listen and be sympathetic, even if you'd rather go out and party with a million other people. Be a friend. You could probably use it too.

Help Me!

Do you ever reach a point in your life where everything and everyone is against you and all you can do is scream, "Help me!!" to the entire world hoping someone will hear and answer you? I have reached this point several times, and let me tell you, it's not fun. Especially if no one is there for you.

Have you ever had that experience of going about your normal, everyday business only to be interrupted by a text that simply says, "I'm having a horrible day. Can we hang out later?" You look at your watch and find that you have about negative five minutes in your day that you can set aside for this friend. Yeah, I've been there too.

The problem with the first scenario is that you never actually say, "help me" in those exact words because that would be too desperate, too depressing, and too forward. Therefore you settle with something like, "hey, wanna do something later?"
The problem with the second scenario is that you'll often get a text that just says, "Hey, wanna hang out later?" It will say nothing of how desperately in need of help the person is, and is therefore easy to ignore.

So, what are you supposed to do? How do you show people that you're in dire need of their help when you're too scared to admit it to yourself? How do you get the help you need without sounding too desperate? Well, it's rather simple really. Say, "I need to talk to you." Or "Can you please help me, I'm not doing so great." Be willing to show someone how much you really need their help in that moment instead of trying to play the tough guy and bear it all yourself.

What if you're on the other end? What if you get a text saying, "hey, let's hang out tonight"? It's very simple: respond. You never know if they're actually in need of help or if they just want to spend time with you. Either way, make it a priority in life to be a friend. A busy schedule means nothing when your friend is in need. Trust me, I know. I'm a full-time student with two part-time jobs. I've got an apartment to keep up, my own meals to cook, and I babysit regularly. I've also got friends, somehow. When they need a shoulder to cry on, a friend to talk to, or even a text of reassurance, I make time for them. I change my work schedule, work around classes, and cancel extra activities just to help them out.
Try it sometime. It'll make you a better person.