[NoChildSupport]

Now I should clarify that I technically have left the house within the last 6 months if you include only riding in the car from one place to another, one trip to gamestop & a baby shower. I've been afraid to leave the house & there's no where I'm interested in going. I hate being around too many people & they emotional & physical reactions (severe anxiety & uncontrollable crying) I have when I'm in public are a major pain & that's why I'm homeschooled. I don't have any friends except one but I don't know if we're even close. I have no life at all. Before these past six months, I was living in another state with my dad. I was able to get out of the house more because my family when places every other weekend. Some may ask why was I was able to leave the house when I was with them & not while I'm with my mom & I don't fully understand why either. I think it's mostly because of the states my parents live in. Now I'm not the type to make stereotypes & generalizations but from my experience, people in mississippi are nicer & more laid back than people up here in stupid albany. When I went to school there, those kids were nicer & less superficial & shallow. I refuse to go to school up here anymore because the kids were so mean, disrespectful & shallow & it made me afraid & stressed me out tremendously. Please don't suggest to go back to school & face my fears & I'll get used to it. I went to public school from pre-k to 10th grade (11th grade now). It's not something I'll just get used t. It was years of intense stress & I've burned myself out.

My main problem is that people will see that for the past six months, my life has been pretty pathetic. I know most people won't care but just they'll still have mean thoughts about it. I know I can't control anyone's thoughts but there has to be something I can do to make up for this. I should be moving back with my dad in a couple of months. When I go back, I want to feel like I've done something, or have something to talk about or stories to tell or like I fit in on some level with my family down there. I don't want to lie & pretend I've had a life. That would REALLY be pathetic. I just want to be able to join in conversations & share my experiences. I can't say I've ever had much of a "life" per se but I've had plenty of interactions & experiences to talk about with people. I've already felt like I didn't fit in anywhere with my family & now I really feel like I don't. One of my cousin's who's my age used to say things like "What are you doing with your life?!". "You're lame." or "Get a life". I don't want that to be worse than it already was. There are no homeschooling groups in Albany so I can't make friends like that. I need to be able to do something that will give me experiences & stories to tell so I can feel like I'm a part of everyone else. I need advice on what to do that will make up for lost time & make me feel better when I go back with my family & when I go to school down there.

[angelene]

When it comes to not leaving the house, I definitely can relate. In the past 6 months I've rarely left the house except to attend doctor's appointments. Sometimes I get dragged to the store. There was 3 special occasions. But mostly I'm home. One of the worst parts about this is when I actually do go somewhere or have contact with others, I have nothing to talk about, no new experiences to share. So I don't know what to say. I try to keep the conversation about the other person or persons I'm speaking with.

I wish that would put me in a position to give you good advice but sadly, I'm stuck...

[CosmicRose]

I can relate, I can go weeks without leaving the house unless its to a coffee shop in my car or to the grocery store. I work from home right now and I feel like such a loser sometimes, that feeling of being pathetic or not having a life is something I was literally up all night thinking about last night. To make matters worse I know I should be in college right now but my anxiety keeps me from signing up to take classes and sitting with a whole classroom full of people. I don't know what I'm doing and its stressing me out.
I went out a lot more when I had a boyfriend a couple of months ago but since we broke up I literally have not gone out for "fun" in a long time.
I was diagnosed with PTSD but I realize I need to change if I really want to have a life worth living but right now I don't know how I'm going to do that.
I use the computer as a crutch. Sometimes I wonder if I just never touched the computer again maybe I would get so bored that it would force me out of the house everyday, but since my job right now is literally on the computer, that's not going to happen unless I'm really strict about it.
Just know that you aren't alone. It sucks. I know eventually I'll have to change, but right now not moving feels a lot better than changing.

[lagai]

Some quick suggestions--I would say look into sports or clubs that appeal to you & definitely check those out. If you're worried about relating, just mention that you're testing out the waters, hoping to find something you like, and also looking to possibly make new friends. Rather than focus too much on the past or letting others do that, refocus attention on the possibilities now and what you'll do now or the future. The reality is that you're in an environment with a good number of opportunities for meeting people and getting involved. So try things out and see how you like them. That can even be a point of conversation with new people. "Hey, do you know of any interesting clubs? I think I might be interested in attending. Do you think I can come with you to that meeting?" Because you'll be new, forming any kind of relationship may take time. Stay positive and friendly. Gradually form connections with people, and then try initiating hang outs, etc. Talk to school counselors or teachers if you need any help too. Good luck!

[A Red Panda]

I'm a bit confused with your time line:

You moved in with your mom 6 months ago.
You haven't really left the house in 6 months.
You won't go back to the school in your mom's city.

How long were you even at the school? Based on your timeline descripion, you haven't spent any time at all at the school. If anything, you spent very little time there? I'm just confused about that, and about how you judged them all so harshly in such a short amount of time? So that makes it difficult for me to really share my thoughts, because I'm confused.

Why did you move in with your mom if you're moving back in with your dad again soon?

Like others have said - join clubs. You have a limited opportunity for friendships as you're not attending school, but you can still meet people and do things. Just find some activities that you're interested in and go to them. It doesn't even matter if the people you talk to are your age or a lot older - if you're doing something you enjoy and chat a bit with the people around you then that's always nice.

Also, do you know what you plan to do once you're finished highschool? If so, that's always a topic of conversation for people your age. You're about half way through grade 11, so only one more year left. It's usually the time people research. If you wanted to, why not do a tour of whatever college or universities are near you? You might even meet people interested in similar majors. If you're really close enough, look up lecture schedules and attend a few lectures! If it's a large group no one would really notice you in there (as opposed to say, a class of 50...) and you'd be learning about something and testing out your interests.

[NoChildSupport]

Originally Posted by A Red Panda

I'm a bit confused with your time line:

You moved in with your mom 6 months ago.
You haven't really left the house in 6 months.
You won't go back to the school in your mom's city.

How long were you even at the school? Based on your timeline descripion, you haven't spent any time at all at the school. If anything, you spent very little time there? I'm just confused about that, and about how you judged them all so harshly in such a short amount of time? So that makes it difficult for me to really share my thoughts, because I'm confused.

Why did you move in with your mom if you're moving back in with your dad again soon?

Like others have said - join clubs. You have a limited opportunity for friendships as you're not attending school, but you can still meet people and do things. Just find some activities that you're interested in and go to them. It doesn't even matter if the people you talk to are your age or a lot older - if you're doing something you enjoy and chat a bit with the people around you then that's always nice.

Also, do you know what you plan to do once you're finished highschool? If so, that's always a topic of conversation for people your age. You're about half way through grade 11, so only one more year left. It's usually the time people research. If you wanted to, why not do a tour of whatever college or universities are near you? You might even meet people interested in similar majors. If you're really close enough, look up lecture schedules and attend a few lectures! If it's a large group no one would really notice you in there (as opposed to say, a class of 50...) and you'd be learning about something and testing out your interests.

I moved with my dad in february. I left in june. I was only supposed to go back with my mom only for the summer & then go back to live with my dad but my mom made me stay because of some things that happened when I wasn't with her, From february to June, when I lived with my dad, I went to school in there.
Since I've moved back with my mom, I've barely left the house.
After I came back I guess my mom wasn't planning on letting me go back with my dad for a long time but we talked about it & if I keep my "good behavior" up, I can go back to live with him in a couple of months.
Before I moved with my dad in February, I always lived with my mom, & I've been to a few different schools & hung around enough people to generally know what the kids are like.
I have no idea of what I want to do after I finish high school.