I’ve found within the last two years that I’ve been becoming more and more distant from my old high school friends (we all graduated 2021). I understand that everyone has gone their separate ways; jobs, education, or career, but I don’t know what to do. Two friends have jobs as plant nursery hands, work locally, and don’t enjoy travelling. One friend has just become a registered nurse and isn’t willing to get her license or travel. I have completed a bachelors and am currently doing a postgrad honours which takes me into the city all the time (I live rural, it’s about a 2 hour commute each way).
In 2023 I went overseas for an exchange study semester and lived by myself for 5-6 months (19 at the time). Upon returning home I found nothing was any different than when I left.
It’s frustrating as I’m actually the youngest of the friend group and yet seemingly the most mature. I feel as if I’m walking on egg shells and can never have deep intellectual/ethical/philosophical conversations as they think I’m trying to make them feel stupid. (This has been said numerous times before). I find myself enjoying more conversations with older individuals than people of my age.
So simply put, I think that having developed individually I’m evermore distant from my friends. It feels wrong to deliberately drift away from them for this reason. However, I’m always the odd one out and don’t share common interests.
What should I do? Should I tell them this? But how would I do it so as to not sound rude?
Does anyone have any recommendations on how to make new friends as a 21yr female? Preferably ones that don’t involve drinking parties, or small talk/gossip based conversation? (not really excited by either)
Thanks