The women’s world cup tickets went on sale in October 2022; I didn't buy any due to my uncertainty and not knowing where I would be.
Last Wednesday, I decided I wanted to go to Matilda’s round of 16 games against Denmark, so I texted a mate and asked if she’d be keen and hit up the FIFA resale website; it didn’t take long for tickets to show up and I was excited, I added to cart and went to check out to get a message of tickets are no longer available. This happened to me for every ticket-purchasing attempt (and there were lots). At 10 pm on Sunday, I gave up and went to bed; my Dad tried till midnight and offered to try again Monday morning; I said it’s okay, I won’t go, it’s too close now, and I need to focus on uni and not be refreshing the resale site every 5 seconds. My brother, who lives in Melbourne, had been helping me on and off, and I didn’t realise he was still trying (he’s very competitive and likes to win). At midday, he rang to tell me he had a ticket in his cart and did I want it; I told him it was okay and that I’d told myself I was okay with not going. He replied, “You have to go; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”. So I said, okay, get the ticket, and I’ll figure out logistics, and if I can’t make it work, we can sell the ticket. I texted a mate who was already in Sydney and driving back on Tuesday for a lift back from Sydney and if there was room to stay at her brother’s, which there was not. My next contact was my cousin who lives in West Ryde, I asked her if I could stay, and her reply was, of course, I’d be offended if you didn’t ask. At 2 pm, I was on a bus to Sydney, and at 6 pm, I was on the train to Olympic Park. I didn’t own any supporters gear, so I bought myself an away (in a 2XL because it was that or a medium) jersey and a Tazuni for Zoe (the teenage penguin mascot). Olympic Park was vibing; there was live music, food stalls, merch tents, and sponsor tents with activities. I noticed a couple trying to take a selfie and offered to take their photo, and then they offered to return the favour. A small act that makes a big difference because selfies can be hard to get yourself in, plus the background. There were two mums and their kids, and they had taken a photo of the kids but then asked if I could take their group photo; of course, I said yes. It’s amazing how it only takes one person to ask the question for a snowball effect. Of course, someone else could take my photo for me.
When I first looked at tickets, I couldn’t believe how cheap they were for a World Cup sporting event. $20-$30 for Category 3, $40 for Category 2, and $60 for Category 1, and those are the adult prices! This makes it incredibly accessible to everyone who wants to go.
The game was great! The Matildas gave another incredible team performance winning 2-0. I was sharing the experience with 75,784 people (which is apparently max number of tickets available). The crowd's roar after each goal and at the end of the game was almost the best I’ve ever heard (I still think the best is the 2004 Super Rugby Final), BUT there was still a hole there for me. I was missing sharing the experience with someone I knew, someone I was deeply connected with.
While waiting for the train to leave, I was texting my friend I wanted to share this experience with, and we made plans to watch the QF together on Saturday. I booked us a table at The Dock while still in with the masses of people (there was a signal problem, so trains were stalled for almost half an hour, so I had time). Bring on France!!
Tuesday’s drive home was excellent; my friend and I hadn’t seen each other since before I went overseas so we had a lot to talk about.
Superficial Versus Deep Connection
Now I want to touch on the missing element from my experience. For the record, I don’t mind doing things alone, and I think it’s important to spend time with yourself and engage in activities solo. If we waited for someone else to come with us, we might never do anything, or we’d experience far less than when we go and do it.
People assume that if you’re single, you are lonely, but people in romantic relationships and have children can be lonely too.
You don’t have to be alone to experience loneliness – and more friends isn’t the answer.
This article discusses what I felt I lacked while watching the Matildas play—Deep Connection.
“These terms are often used interchangeably, but they’re actually different. Social isolation is the objective state of being alone. In contrast, loneliness is the subjective experience of disconnection. This means that you could be around other people, yet still feel lonely.
Why might that be? Loneliness can arise from not feeling seen, understood, or validated. It can come from spending time with people who don’t share your values or interests. It can also come from too many superficial interactions and not enough deeper connections.”
How do we establish a deep connection? I believe the first ingredient for deep connection is safety. This means we need less judgement and more compassion in our interactions. With safety then comes vulnerability and story sharing. Sharing our feelings and experiences fosters that deep connection. The person you’re sharing with might not have been through what you have, but it means they know you more.
I get frustrated with superficial conversations; sure, we can talk about how cold it is, but nothing beats talking about the shit that matters. The shit that makes us who we are. Our experiences shape us; if we suppress our experiences and the emotions associated with them, we are suppressing our true selves.
I started this blog because I believe story-sharing and vulnerability will make the most significant impact in improving the mental health crisis. I don’t have research to back this up, but I have life experience, and life experience is as good as gold.
(I have also read many psychology-based books and autobiographies to help form my views and understanding of mental health.)
As always, I open it up to you for discussion, to share your story or view.
Nice read. we need Deep connection rather just superficial conversions.. I agree but making deep connection takes time.
See you Saturday!