Carrie Underwood Isn't A Squad Person

One person won't be joining Taylor Swift's crew anytime soon. Carrie Underwood revealed in a new interview that she didn't even know what a "squad" was, much less "#squadgoals." Upon realizing that it meant a posse, the country star was less than enthusiastic about the idea, and for good reason. Carrie Underwood said she doesn't have a squad because group settings make her uncomfortable due to experiences with panic attacks, which she still deals with. Underwood explained,

I still get totally nervous in group situations. I don't always know what to say. I can be super awkward, and I will say the wrong thing. My favorite word is "okay." If somebody says something to me that I don't know how to respond to, or if I'm in a weird situation where I'm just uncomfortable and there's a lot of people, even if somebody is being super sweet and cool, I'm like "Okay." I don't always know what to say.

So it seems like being part of someone's squad, or starting her own, is not a social environment that would help her thrive. She does have close friends that she hangs out on the regular — she cites a baker and a stay-at-home mom as a couple of close buds — but it seems like she does better in either small groups or one-one-one hangouts. And you know what? That is totally fine. It's actually more than fine, for a couple of big reasons.

As attractive and as envy-inducing as having a squad can be, it is not for everybody. Everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to different social environments, and it's not right to expect someone to push themselves out of that zone, unless they want to on their own time. If they are in a social setting that they feel makes them thrive (as Underwood obviously has, both on a career and personal front), that is more important than trying to squeeze as many people as possible into their latest Instagram post.

Another big reason why it's A-OK that Underwood is squad-less (potential new hashtag?) is that she shows that massive group outings are not the only option out there for building friendships. Friendships can flourish wonderfully through one-on-one hangouts or even in groups of two or four. Getting to know someone in an intimate, quiet setting can be a very positive thing for a lot of friendships—and this rings true even if said person is part of a squad.

It's not time to retire the entire idea of a squad. There is something to be said about openness and inclusivity that comes with a large group. It's certainly done wonders for Swift. But thanks to Underwood, people who don't find being around all their friends, all the time their cup of tea can relate to someone else who thrives in a completely different way.