I just turned 21(M) a couple of months ago, and so did my friend (21F). This Friday she wants to go to a bar. She’s been to a couple before with other friends, but this will be my very first time going out anywhere when its dark lol.
We’re both autistic and socially anxious, and I honestly have no idea how things work at a bar – like how to order, who to talk to, when to go or what to do if I’m just standing around with no empty seats. I was thinking maybe I’ll order some food since that feels familiar: order food and drink, ask for the check, and tip around 20%. Crowded places make me uneasy, especially if I don’t have something to do or someone to talk with.
My friend wants to do this to push herself out of her comfort zone, but she’s also really nervous and might panic once we’re actually there. So I might need to figure a lot of this out myself. Meanwhile, I’m nervous about ending up alone or not knowing what to do.
Since this is the first week of classes, I imagine the town’s bars will be pretty full of new students. I’d love any advice, especially from people who’ve been in a similar situation, on how to handle a first bar outing. What should I expect? How do I make the experience less overwhelming?
Any older sibling kind of tips would mean a lot.