The most frequently asked question I have gotten from friends and family since I moved to Vicksburg are, “Are you hanging out with people?” and “Have you made friends?”

I’m not the most social person, and since they know me, I guess they know I’m not putting myself out there like they think I should.

I’m not very outgoing, can be mildly awkward and don’t really understand how to meet people. On the flip side, a lot of people don’t understand why I am completely comfortable keeping to myself and, in turn, not lonely.

Being out and about is something I enjoy though. To me, staying in all the time is not fulfilling, but after a long day of work, just sitting on my couch to recharge somehow becomes an incredibly worthwhile use of time.

I’ve spent a few evenings the past two weeks with people my age playing bingo and trivia. It was relaxing and fun for this homebody to get out of the house and be around people while challenging ourselves to a game.

It is a pleasant surprise to know that Vicksburg has something to offer people in their 20s. Games that I thought I had left behind in a college town are still available to me here. Sure, the crowds may look a little different but it honestly might not be such a bad thing. Smaller crowds bring about a higher chance to win, and who doesn’t love free stuff?

Two of my neighbors generously left a bottle of wine on my doorstep, which I gladly — yet cautiously — discovered when I got home after a late night at work. How kind of two people I don’t even know to buy me a gift.

People I’ve met through work have been gracious as well. Just this week, I was given unsolicited advice on how to meet people my age through an app. I appreciate the fact that people who don’t even know me are concerned about my social life and that’s not my winning sarcasm speaking.

The people of Vicksburg are very welcoming with many inviting me to attend their church. My great church search continues, and I have enjoyed visiting the variety of service options available to me here. It will not be easy to pick a permanent church home.

The more I get involved, the more I feel like this is my home. It turns out it’s not so hard to meet people, especially here.