u/Suitable-Impact4010

I, 22f, bought a ticket to see a band I really like, and normally I’d go with friends or my partner, but they are all either in Japan and Europe. So, I’ll probably be attending alone. The venue is like a big, social, “party pub” in my town, and it’s catered toward groups of people, so it’s not really somewhere you can quietly exist by yourself without feeling like an elephant in the room.

I’m anxious because going there for a big event usually involves running into people I know, including old friends with whom I share awkward histories. Without someone beside me I feel like I’ll stand out or have nowhere to comfortably direct my attention. And since I quit social media, I can’t default to hiding in my phone (an old Gen Z habit).

I’m a pretty social person and genuinely want to see this band. But, I typically retreat inward when I’m alone… maybe because the social risk is higher? Idk.
It’s stressing me out. I’ve been trying to see my partners vacation as an opportunity to regain some independence, and he has been optimistically reassuring me I’d find someone to go with… but my friends and family at home are not interested. It’s just made his absence feel a bit harder, and I feel even lonelier now. But at the same time I don’t want to be a scaredy cat and get my ticket refunded. Does anyone have some advice? Wish me luck!