u/KGBxHEADHUNTER

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I’m going for an overnight stargazing/astronomy event this weekend and will most likely be attending alone now. My previous solo group-trip experience honestly wasn’t great socially, so this time I’m trying to prepare mentally instead of just forcing myself into it blindly.

I’m very introverted, nerdy, and not really someone who enjoys constant social interaction. I like astronomy, tech, science, nature, quiet environments, etc. The event has around 35–40 participants and most seem to already be coming with:

- partners

- families

- friend groups

Which is the part making me anxious about feeling awkward or “out of place” being there alone.

The actual astronomy part excites me a lot:

- dark skies

- Milky Way viewing

- telescopes

- astrophotography

- just existing quietly under the night sky

But I’m worried about:

- social exhaustion after some hours

- awkwardness during meals/common stay

- feeling isolated while everyone else already has “their people”

- mentally overthinking the entire experience

I’ll be driving there alone, so at least I have some independence/personal space if needed.

So for fellow introverts:

- how do you survive these kinds of group environments solo?

- does it become easier once the activity itself starts?

- how do you stop comparing yourself with couples/groups around you?

- any practical coping strategies that actually work?

Would appreciate honest experiences from introverts/solo attendees instead of generic “just socialize” advice.

(Used AI to help structure/elaborate my thoughts properly because otherwise this post would’ve become unreadable.)

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I’m attending the overnight Naneghat stargazing session this weekend. Originally my wife was supposed to come too, but now I’ll most likely be going alone in my own car from Pune.

This will technically be my second solo group-trip experience, but my first one honestly wasn’t great socially, so this time I’m trying to prepare mentally instead of pretending I’ll magically become extroverted once I reach there.

About me:

- introverted

- nerdy

- not very social

- more into astronomy/tech/science/nature than group socializing

The event currently has around 35–40 participants and most seem to be:

- families

- couples

- friend groups

Which is the part making me slightly anxious about feeling “out of place” being solo there.

My main reasons for going are:

- Milky Way viewing

- telescope observation

- astrophotography

- dark sky experience

- learning more astronomy practically

But I’m also slightly worried about:

- social exhaustion

- awkwardness during dinner/common stay

- shared toilet situation with lots of people

- feeling isolated among groups/couples

- whether staying overnight solo becomes mentally uncomfortable after some hours

I do have the advantage of going in my own car, so I’ll have flexibility/personal space if needed.

So wanted to genuinely ask people from Pune/Mumbai who have attended AAC events solo before:

- how was the overall vibe?

- did you feel awkward initially?

- does the crowd naturally become quieter once stargazing starts?

- how did you handle the social aspect if you’re introverted?

- is the astronomy experience itself worth pushing through the discomfort?

Would honestly appreciate real experiences/advice instead of generic “just talk to people” responses.

(Used AI to help structure/elaborate my thoughts properly because otherwise this post would’ve become an unreadable mess.)