I’ve (23M) been living at home for the past couple years. Since COVID and graduating college I’ve had little luck making friends, despite practicing different hobbies/classes in my area. I’ve also realized that I’m anxious to reach out to old friends I grew up with. I feel stuck.

One friend I was very close with drifted far apart by the end of high school, and I figured that our friendship was basically over when he did not show up to my graduation party. He and a mutual friend are the only guys who stayed in town. We are very different ppl, but were great friends when we were young. Our moms still see each other lol. I reached out last year but nothing came of it unfortunately.

I think the main mental hurdle I’m facing when it comes to reaching out is that I feel like I haven’t grown much at all since high school in terms of relationships. These two friends were always popular, well liked, and good with girls. I’m the opposite—aside from a few dates late in college and after I’ve never had a girlfriend or much female interest. This is ridiculous but I sometimes feel like a complete loser and child because of this. Like if I try to reconnect with these two I’d end up feeling 14 again.

Has anyone been in a similar situation before? What did you do and how did it go?