The internet is a strangely beautiful place. It's the kind of "beautiful" that's subjective, where you have to tilt your head a little to the side in order to truly appreciate its hidden appeal. With the right social media post, you could be on your way to your next opportunity, meeting the love of your life, or even making a new friend.
Have you ever visited someone's page and read her point of view on something, or maybe she posted a flawless #OOTD post and you think to yourself, Dang, we could totally be friends?Well, I'm convinced that some of us are still without our best friends because we're too afraid to make the first move. The worst that could happen is she leaves your DM on "seen", but that doesn't mean all hope is lost for you.
When I think about all the recent connections I've made over this last year, all credit is due to the internet. Whether it was through apps like "Hey Vina" or a simple, "Let's grab a coffee sometime," message, the interwebs have been the perfect matchmaker for friend connections.
Let's be clear: there is a certain protocol to follow when engaging in the shallow water of internet friendships. And I'm here to help:
1.Don't Be a Creep
There is a way to slide in someone's DM's without being a creep about it. Don't just flat-out say: "We should be friends!" in hopes that sparks fly. This may work in some cases, but it may come off as too thirsty. Start slow.
Send her a compliment. Comment on her new blog post. Inquire about her wash and go routine. Allow the conversation to take its natural course, and then when the window opens to exchange contacts, jump through it! But remember: there's no rush.
2.The Glass Slipper Effect
We all know the story of Cinderella. When Prince Charming set out on his quest through the entire kingdom for the one young woman who would fit his glass slipper. If you remember correctly, a lot of the candidates looked good and talked the right game, but when it came to the fit, it just didn't work.
Shooting your friend shot is quite the same. Not every girl you feel a connection with online is going to feel that way back, so don't force it. Do a chemistry test, go out, and see if you all can actually keep a conversation going for longer than five minutes. There's nothing wrong with trying, but if it doesn't it work, it just doesn't work. At least you tried though.
3.Get Personal
Just like dating, how are you expecting to get to know someone solely through texting and Instagram comments? You'll never understand her sense of humor, tone, or develop a natural flow between the two of you, if you don't hang out, or when distance comes into play, Facetime.
Not to mention that people can be whoever they want to be behind the shades of their social media account, so maybe the person you're allured to via her daily post isn't who she really is over lunch. Get personal and find out who they really are. Don't be shy. There may be some awkwardness to sift through, but once you all break the ice, the rest will be HERstory.
4.Set Your Intentions
So you've gotten this far, what do you want out of this? Are you looking for the all-around girlfriend? A business partner? A spiritual companion? Say it! Sometimes we look for people to show up for us in areas that they aren't equipped to fulfill. Be upfront about what you look to get out of the relationship so that each party knows what they're getting into.
5.Build a Foundation
Every friendship starts with a good foundation and nothing happens overnight. Keep in mind that you're learning a whole new person with a distinctive personality and emotions, dislikes, and tweaks you may not be used to. That's okay. Give each other the space to learn about one another so that when it's time to really show up, you have the tools to be there for her.
*Article originally published on aleyarion.com
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“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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