We went to a Friendsgiving dinner at our friend’s restaurant, and wow, there was so much food. Sushi, karaage, katsu, tofu, Korean fried chicken, yakisoba, poké, onigiri, musubi, tsukemono, and even oysters. It was incredible and a little overwhelming in the best way.

I had a great time, but after about two hours my social battery was completely empty. I ended up reading a book on my phone while passively listening to all the Japanese conversations happening around me. It was actually kind of comforting.

I also chatted with a friend who gets overwhelmed at big social events too. He told me his strategy is to leave early and then come back later to pick up his wife. Honestly, that is such a smart move. I am still figuring out how to handle my own social battery when it runs out, but just talking with my friend about it made me feel a lot better.

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