I’ll be the first person to admit that I’m terrible at making friends (and keeping them). I don’t know why—it’s just something I’ve never been good at. Thankfully, finding pals online has been a lot easier and it’s those people that have kept me sane.
- I discovered anon Twitter. Back in 2012, I’d recently graduated from college and moved to a new city to live with my boyfriend. I didn’t know anyone and I certainly didn’t know how to make friends as an adult. At the time, Twitter was the hottest social media platform out there and I used it all the time. I saw these anonymous accounts and followed a few, so one day, I decided to make my own!
- I joined the anon Twitter community. I was obsessed with becoming an anon account. For a person who went from seeing friends every single day in college to having no one to talk to, this was a great way to connect with other people—people who were just like me. This community was so supportive and I found true friends there.
- They helped me during hard times. Admittedly, 2012 was a pretty rough year for me. Having a boyfriend with commitment issues and struggling to find my way in adulthood weighed heavily on me. The people I had in this community were so supportive. Many times, I would message other girls and just talk with them about what was going on. They made me feel a sense of belonging when I felt so incredibly lonely.
- There was beauty in staying anonymous. In this world, I felt like I could truly be myself. I could say what I wanted, vent my frustrations, and share my opinion without being judged. I felt (and still feel) so judged by the people I know in real life. On Twitter, you won’t find a more supportive crew.
- I took a hiatus. Somewhere along the way, I stopped using my anon account. My best guess is that it happened when I started a new job working in a retail store. I worked with a ton of really supportive, positive women. I finally felt like I had found that sense of community, so I didn’t feel the need to use my anon account anymore.
- I rejoined two years ago. I kind of missed the anon community, and while I’m in a much healthier relationship now, I found myself in a similar situation. I was living in a new city (which I moved to of my own accord this time) and having trouble making friends. I dropped myself right back into a world I loved so much.
- It’s not the same, but there’s still the heart there. The community isn’t exactly the same as it was when I had my first go at it, but it’s been a fantastic way to connect with other people just like me. I’ve found even more friends this time around who I love.
- These friends are so supportive. I feel like I can come to these girls with anything—the touch stuff, the vain stuff, and the happy stuff. They support me in ways I don’t feel supported by friends in real life. The beautiful thing now is that many of these girls are now moms like I am, or married and in serious relationships. We connect on new levels now and they’re my sounding board for all the questions I have for this stage in my life.
- My IRL friends don’t seem to care about me. I realize social media isn’t everything, but when you live across the country from people you used to be friends with, it’s how you stay in touch. I’m the kind of person who can easily pick up any friendship I had like we didn’t spend years not talking. I like photos of their lives and comment on important moments. I’m happy to see how well they’re doing now! Unfortunately, not all of these people don’t feel the same way about me. There are a few that do and I’m so thankful for them, but a pretty sizeable handful seem to have written me off.
- My online friends support me better than my IRL friends. When I share pictures on my anon page, this community comes to play. They like it, they comment and tell me how beautiful or happy I look or how handsome my son is. You can feel the genuine love and care they have for me. I even have a few of them on my personal Instagram pages. Even there, they show me more love than people I’ve known IRL.
- I wouldn’t trade these friendships for anything. Without anon Twitter, I might never have met these amazing people. I’m so grateful for their friendships and love that they’re just a message away.
