Some people are social butterflies. I'm a social caterpillar, hiding in my cocoon and stalling to fly out of my shell. It's not that I don't like people - I do, most of the time. It's not that I don't like talking - I do, to certain people. But small talk is annoying. It's pointless to spend a night out with endless conversations that go no further than, "Hi, how do you like this party so far? What do you do now, work, uni, unemployed? Do you hate reality TV, too?"
I'd rather talk to people about things that matter. For some people, the transition between small talk and substantial conversation comes easy. I have friends who can sit down with complete strangers and have fantastic conversations. I don't understand how this works. I can't even maintain a conversation with the people at work for over two minutes. Maybe I always lose interest, so I don't bother keeping up with the conversations. I'm more content talking to my close friends about what's happening with them. Does that make me antisocial? I can be social, but I can't fake an interest in people or bother to approach strangers, unless they are that handsome guy on the train. Maybe I just care too much about what people think of me. Or, perhaps I'm not willing to invest myself in others when I know that I will probably never see them again or see them often. Maybe I'm just lazy. To be polite and make small talk sounds like a lot of work.
On the flip side, I sometimes meet people with whom I have an instant connection. I automatically click with them, and conversations run smoothly with little effort. I get this gut feeling that I'll be good friends with them and feel comfortable sharing my personal thoughts, even if I've only just met them. This is what true friendships are made of - long-lasting friends with whom I will forever share that special bond.