The Time I Talked to a Stranger and It Changed My Life

You know that phase where every day feels like copy-paste? That was me. I’d just moved to Barrie for college. New city. New classes. New part-time job. But zero familiar faces.
My life was on loop: wake up → classes → work → assignments → sleep → repeat. No fun. No breaks. Just... autopilot. 😶‍🌫️

One afternoon, my residence was hosting a “meet and greet.” Classic icebreaker stuff. I wasn’t planning to actually meet anyone, I was just there for the snacks 🍕 and to make it look like I was trying.

But then he showed up.

Santy.

Imagine a walking energy drink 🥤 wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt 🌺, grinning like he already knew everyone in the room, including me. He walked straight up, looked me dead in the eyes, and said, “Hey! What’s your story?”

I froze. I wasn’t used to people being that open. But something about him felt genuine, like we were two long-lost friends bumping into each other at a random airport. ✈️

So I shared a little. He shared a little. And somehow, 30 minutes flew by like nothing. It wasn’t anything deep, we talked about the usual stuff: food, how weirdly small Barrie is, how exhausting classes can be, and how we both missed home. But that chat? It cracked something open in me. It reminded me I was human. That I still could connect. 🧠💬

Over the next few weeks, Santy introduced me to his circle of friends, people who now feel like my chosen family. We studied together, explored trails 🌲, played basketball 🏀, paddleboarded (which I still suck at, by the way 😂), and laughed way more than I had in months.

And here’s the twist I didn’t see coming: Fast forward to today, and I co-founded a startup with two of those friends. 🚀 All because of one unexpected “Hey, what’s your story?”

Being an international student comes with its own rollercoaster. 🎢 Homesickness, tight budgets 💸, constant pressure to perform — it’s a lot. But I’ve learned something priceless: no matter how heavy life feels, it gets easier when you have people around who get it. Even if it’s just someone to walk with after a long day or call when everything feels like it’s falling apart. ❤️

That one conversation with Santy reminded me of something simple: Everyone’s looking for connection. But most of us are just waiting for someone else to make the first move.

So here’s a little challenge for you: Next time you're out, maybe in a coffee shop ☕, at a bus stop 🚏, or even in line at the grocery store 🛒, say hi to someone. Ask about their weekend. Share something small about yours. You don’t have to overthink it. Just… be curious. Be kind.

Worst case? You get a nice little chat out of it. 🙂 Best case? You meet a friend. Or a future co-founder. Or someone who reminds you that life’s a little brighter when we’re not going through it alone.

All it takes is one hello. Trust me, I’m living proof.

And if you’ve ever felt stuck, alone, or like you just need someone to talk to, that’s exactly why we’re building ImpulsTrip. We’re creating a space to help you find your people, one spontaneous moment at a time. Join the waitlist and come be part of a story that’s just getting started.

With love,
Lakshit and Team ImpulsTrip 💛