Some nights are just different. They start one way, and before you know it, they’ve unraveled into something deeper—something that sticks with you long after the music fades. After a long, exhausting day balancing school and work, I needed an escape. And what better way than to meet up with my friends at a DJ set, let loose, and just enjoy the moment?
The music, the energy, the shared excitement—it was all so freeing. For a while, we were just bodies moving with the beat, existing in the moment, forgetting about deadlines, responsibilities, and the weight of everything outside that space. But as it always happens, one thing led to another, and before we knew it, we were at a bar, drinks in hand, laughter spilling out into the night.
But in between those transitions—between the music and the bar, between the drinks and the conversations—I learned so much. About myself. About my friends. We bonded in ways that only happen when you strip away the distractions and just talk. My friend, in what can only be described as an impromptu therapy session, started psychoanalyzing my life. And let me tell you, it was an eye-opener.
I realized something that I had been burying for years: my family back home doesn’t really know me. Not the real me. The version of myself that thrives in college, that explores, that expresses, that exists fully—this person didn’t exist back home. And that realization hit me hard. It’s incredibly sad to think that the only reason I truly got to know myself was by leaving the place I once called home. It made me wonder—how many parts of myself have I hidden away just to fit an expectation? And how many more will I uncover as I continue growing?
On the flip side, I got to return the favor and psychoanalyze my friend’s love life—one of my favorite things to do. She has this long-standing fling with a guy in Europe. They text every single day. Every. Single. Day. It was insane to me that there’s someone across the world who is that dedicated to her, and yet, she doesn’t know if it’s something she should keep pursuing. Realistically, she’s in the U.S., and he’s in Europe. The distance is a brutal reality check.
It’s heartbreaking, honestly. They are perfect for each other, yet circumstances make it nearly impossible. It made me think about love—how sometimes, people come into our lives who feel like the one, but life has other plans. But even when love doesn’t work out the way we wish it would, it still leaves an impact. These connections shape who we are, teach us lessons, and push us to raise our standards, to know our worth, and to keep our hearts open.
At the end of the night, I realized something: love—whether romantic, platonic, or self-love—finds you when you least expect it. Whether it’s in the form of a deep conversation at a bar, a DJ set where you lose yourself in the music, or a text from someone across the world who still chooses to reach out every day—love has a way of showing up. And maybe, just maybe, the best thing we can do is embrace it whenever and however it comes.
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