This one was a bit hard to write. It's something I've been dealing with for a majority of my life, especially these last two years. I am an extremely quiet and awkward person, which generally turns people off, leaving me alone most weekends. Normally, I don't mind. Solitude is good for me, but sometimes...you just need a friend.

So I did some digging through some articles. And I've done some soul searching in order to come up with something for this chapter.

My first tip, and probably the most important tip, is to not blame yourself. I know it's easier said than done. But it will really help. Just try to catch yourself whenever you have thoughts like, "I'm too weird. No one will ever like me." or "I'm just awful. No wonder they hate me."

It's not your fault. Loneliness is a perfectly valid feeling, and you should not feel bad for feeling it.

Second tip: join a group or club of some kind. Like a jogging group or a movie club or book club. Something through your school or through your community. It's a great way to connect with/meet new people. You'll find people with similar interests as you do. All it takes is one little thing, one chat about a good show and you may have just made a lifelong friend! Groups also give a sense of belonging. Like you really fit in somewhere, like you have people to have your back.

Third tip: Help someone in need. This will really stem your mind, make you feel good about yourself. And they will remember the thing you did for them and help you later on. (And who knows maybe it will even be the start of a beautiful friendship too.) It doesn't have to be anything huge like selling your kidney. It can be something as simple as helping your neighbor rearrange their furniture or giving someone directions. Helping people forms intimate connection in our minds, thus reducing the feeling of loneliness a little.

Fourth tip: This one will make me sound like one of those crazy old farts, but limit social media. Now, I myself am a millennial. I know just how important social media is, and what it means to have internet friends. In fact, I met my two best friends over social media. But there are studies proving that social media may be a leading cause in sadness/depression/loneliness among teens and young adults.

Meeting online friends is really great, and they can be some of the best people you will ever meet. However, it does not substitute actual, physical connection with other psychical human beings. We need to be able to see, hug, laugh, and just be with other people.

Besides that, social media may lower our self-esteem based on the fact that we are usually only seeing the good parts of other people's lives, making it seem as though their lives are better by comparison. Studies also show that scrolling through social media for hours at a time can be very taxing and stimulate feelings of loneliness.

You don't have to stop using it all together. As I said, you can meet some pretty awesome people online. But you should limit the time you spend on social media -- Instagram, facebook, twitter, even wattpad -- to at least an hour a day. Then go outside, get some fresh air, play some ball, throw around a stick, whatever you want.

Fifth tip: Be nice to strangers. Since we were little we've been told, "Stranger danger!" But I find it is actually quite the opposite. Strangers are generally nicer than a majority of my family members, and they are usually much more pleasant to be around.

Now, if you're anything like me, this will be hard. Talking is hard. Socializing is hard. Just take a deep breath, power through, and say hello. Be polite. Act confident. (Confidence is sexy, you know 😉) People respond to nice people. They like friendly people. So, just start a conversation, be nice, be friendly, be confident.

Sixth tip: Find a hobby. This is sort of similar to finding a group. Hobbies allow people to connect through similar interests.

For instance, I love writing. And I have met some amazing writer friends through wattpad. You'll start off just talking about that hobby, in my case writing, then sooner or later your conversations will expand into something bigger, thus reducing loneliness.

Seventh tip: Write. Assuming writing isn't already the hobby you enjoy, it could be helpful sometimes to simply write down a story. Characters have always been something people connect with. Stories have brought people together for centuries. If you feel lonely, chances are someone else does too. Sharing your stories can help them feel less alone, and in turn, it will make you feel good as well.

It will make you feel as though you've done some good. The characters can help you as well. For example, my fanfic ocs the Legend Kids have really helped me these last two years. They are goofy and crazy, and often times I write something for them when I need some cheering up.

Eighth tip: Listen to music. I can't count the number of people who enjoy music, who find comfort within song lyrics. Music brings people to together. Try connecting with people who enjoy the same genre of music as you do. If nothing else, you can feel the comfort knowing that the singer/songwriter knows what you're going through.

Ninth tip: Surround yourself with the people you love. This might seem like some dumb obvious thing that anyone will tell you, but it really helps. It's good to know there are people out there who have your back. People you can always fall back on no matter what. True friends will help you through any struggle no matter what and pull your head out of your ass whenever you're in too deep. If you don't have someone like this, try attempting one of the tips listed above.

Tenth tip: If you've tried this and none of it is working...perhaps you need medical help. I don't mean that as it sounds. You are not crazy. Do not feel crazy. You are perfectly normal and valid...however, sometimes these feelings of loneliness may stem from a deeper emotional or mental issue. Depression, anxiety, etc.  These are mental illnesses that will simply not just vanish randomly. You need a doctor to help you through this. You need treatment. If none of these things are working for you, I really implore you to get help. Get treatment.

You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be healthy. Please, get healthy. Round up enough money, find a good doctor. They will be much better suited to help you through this, much more educated on what you need to heal.

Those are just ten tips on how to deal with loneliness. I sincerely hope that these tips help you. Good luck. Stay happy. Stay healthy.