Resolves YES if I attend Manifest 2026 for at least 1 day.
I've never attended Manifest or any other event at Lighthaven. I asked a friend (who doesn't use Manifold) to come with me. I'm probably only going if she does, since large crowds of strangers make me nervous. We did not obtain tickets yet.
She'll only go if it's free (or significantly cheaper than $425/day). Volunteer tickets perhaps?
We're in the Bay Area, about 1.5 hours from Lighthaven, but can't drive.
We might stay in the Lighthaven dorms and for LessOnline/Summer Camp too
I leave for a flight 6/14 morning
She has a big deadline on 6/15 to prep for
I'm worried about being unsociable, especially since most people are older than us, and might change my mind about going
1,000seems like anxiety and fear of the unknown is the real thing in your way. going solo to these kinds of things is often more fruitful ("sink or swim"!) than having a friend you clamp onto if they don't push you to engage, fwiw
lighthaven housing is not cheap and mostly sold out anyway last I saw. if you live in the bay area it may be worth the public transit commute, though 1.5 hours is quite far. an airbnb or local temporary roomshare might be a better bet.
other thoughts:
volunteering is pretty chill but the spaces aren't infinite. def worth throwing her name in the hat soon
folks at manifest are fairly laid back ime and open to be approached by strangers to talk about whatever, even those who are normally shut-ins. it's partly a conference, a party, and a networking event rolled into one. even the introverts are there to talk to other people so I wouldn't worry about being unsociable unless you think you'll be actively anti-social and grumpy
you might be bummed missing the last day if you only do Manifest and not LO/Summer Camp
your friend needs to reframe her deadline as the day before Manifest if she's gonna go imo