u/ControlAvailable8319

They’re louder than any neighbors I’ve had. I can literally hear them _talking_ right now. All the other neighbors I’ve had before in this complex I can only hear if they’re shouting or are in the stairwell. They also keep making banging sounds, some even shake the wall. It’s been particularly bad yesterday and today, and it’s driving me insane.

When moving into my own apartment, I wanted to make the space _mine_. Wall decor, rugs, quirky furniture, whatever. But any time my furniture is set up in a way that makes the space feel small, I get really anxious. I realized that having less on the walls and floor instantly makes me feel like I can _breathe_.

I wouldn’t say I’m in the “prefers minimalism” category, but I do need to downsize, apparently 😅

I do know the source; I grew up in a hoarder’s house, where there was _also_ a lot of other trauma sources, and the brain’s connections are a damn powerful thing. I just hadn’t realized it would impact me in this way, especially with stuff like wall decor and rugs

I’m trying to figure out how far to set my dating app radius. I don’t have a car, so if I can’t reach the person on the bus, I need them to drive to my area. I don’t want to be in another relationship where it takes months to meet in person because they’re so far away, and then I only get to see them in person once or twice before the relationship ends. I want to be able to see my next partner at least every couple of weeks (assuming life allows it, obviously)

So, if you were the one making the trip, how far would you drive to meet someone who’s barely above a stranger, and could you maintain it?

I’m mainly referring to creative things.

Ever since I was able to form a thought, I’ve been considered creative. I’ve tried out many different crafts throughout my life. I have a room in my apartment dedicated to art supplies and a work station, and while I have my primary crafts, there’s a variety of options tucked away in there.

I’ve always come back to drawing, and over more recent years (2020 and onward) I’ve enjoyed painting. But I feel like my drawing skills peaked when I was maybe 16, and have now gone back down to when I was, like, 13, and when it comes to painting, I’ve plateaued in quality since 2022. I also started crocheting a year ago, and while I have made major improvements in that time, I feel like the stuff I make still looks like a beginner did it, even though I’ve put many, many hours into projects (even just my current WIP piece is over 60 hours deep so far).

My stuff usually isn’t _bad_, but it’s not good. I feel embarrassed gifting things I make to people, because they don’t feel good enough quality to me, and I wouldn’t be able to make money by selling anything I make (not that that’s my goal, but it would be nice to feel like I could, ya know?).

I’ve tried practicing specific things, following tutorials, using good materials, I’ve even taken art classes, and still, my stuff just stays underwhelming and mediocre. I have fun with the process, and that’s the important part, I just wish I also could feel confident about showing off what I make, as well….

I (27F) love to wear my hair in half up, half down pigtails, and I usually put some kind of clips in my hair, too, where it’s smoothed back. My go-to clips are these silver hearts that have a drippy/melty effect. It makes me feel really cute and dressed up, even if all I’ve done so far is my hair, and I feel like it works especially well with my punk/generally alternative style, because my hair is naturally very fluffy and decides to seemingly defy gravity sometimes, so I don’t need to tease it or use hairspray for it to have that “edgy”vibe.

I only wear it like that if my outfit is some form of higher effort, but in a fun way, not formal. If I’m just wearing a t-shirt and jeans for a quick errand, I wear my hair in a more simple style.

I worry it’s “cringe” to be wearing my hair like that at my age. When I go out, I don’t see other women wearing similar styles or anything, besides one of the bartenders at my favorite bar. I get really in my head over things, and it makes me feel super insecure and anxious… I wish my brain would just let me enjoy the things that make me happy 🥲

Edit: thank you to everyone who is giving kind words and reassurance ❤️‍🩹

There’s been so many times where I’ll go to play a game, and get super overwhelmed because it tries to teach me what feels like every mechanic at once. Then I can’t remember how to do shit after 30 seconds because there’s just so much 🤧