In a shared housing situation and and old friend lives there. All ym friends send me celebration cards, like a birthday card but not quite. I dont understand why because its not my birthday or any close by celebration. Both mt 2 good friends and and old friend send me. Old friend is great and be correspond well. Then I go swimming in my apartment (not shared housing anymore) and first there's a dirty ish pool but after going to another floor I find a cleaner nice pool. Similar layout but slightly different. Im swimming to train for passing a test of some sort thay an old person I know will be evaluating me on. I swim with flippers. The pool says to check how deep it is. I do, and its quite deep which scares me at first but its one of those pools where its shallow and then the middle is deep so I go back to the deep part and find jts not so deep. I then spot a mirror at the bottom where I can look at myself. I look super hot and I look in it for quite a while. Then I keep swimming and see yet another one. Still hot. I then swim up and a 3 kids join and I start playing with them, pretending to eat them with big water splashes and tell them how to play pretend properly. Then we go upstairs to their older sisters room (an old friend i wasn't even thay close or kind to) and we talk. Outside the window is a view of thr city. Very magnificent. Like an aerial view from a plane. Then suddenly there's multiple friends and they want to see my place. We go in the elevator and I press an incorrect floor to lure them away because my place is too messy and I dont wanna show them. They exit the elevator without looking back and I quickly press the correct floor, but the doors malfunction and keep closing but then staying slightly open. After a few times it finally closes. Also its the same apartment number as the one I reside in in real life (25). Also rather than one button, the 2 and 5 are separated numbers.
This dream is rich with symbolism and various elements that can be interpreted to reflect your current state of mind, emotions, and situations in life.
The shared housing situation with an old friend suggests a connection to your past. Receiving celebration cards from both old and new friends, despite not being near any real-life occasion, symbolizes acknowledgment or validation from people around you. This might mean you crave or are receiving approval and recognition from those close to you. The old friend in your dream being someone you correspond well with signifies introspection and self-acceptance of your past actions or relationships.
Switching from shared housing to having your own apartment indicates a desire for independence, control, or personal space. The act of swimming implies striving for success or a test you're preparing for, representing personal goals or challenges you are currently facing. Swimming with flippers could denote trying to make this process more efficient or easier.
The initial dirty pool transitioning to a clean pool reinforces themes of growth and progress in your journey, possibly suggesting overcoming past struggles or cleansing of old negative influences.
The deep pool appearing intimidating at first represents fear or uncertainty about the complexity of situations or paths you are currently contemplating. However, upon inspecting the depth and realizing it's manageable, you gain confidence, indicating your ability to overcome initial fears and find comfort in what seemed daunting.
Seeing yourself in the mirrors at the bottom of the pool and finding satisfaction in your appearance suggests a newfound self-awareness or self-appreciation. This could mean you are gaining confidence through introspection and positive self-evaluation.
Playing with the children represents playfulness and a connection to your inner child. It suggests a light-hearted, joyful side of you that's keen on guiding and nurturing others, possibly reflecting your role in real-life relationships.
The old friend's younger sibling's room symbolizes returning to youthful engagements or past forgotten talents. The magnificent city view may illustrate your broader aspirations and dreams or offer an appreciation of the bigger picture of your life journey.
The elevator scene, with the malfunctioning doors, might represent anxiety or stress about showing your true self to others, rooted in concern over personal aspects (like the "messiness" of your apartment). Separating the floor numbers 2 and 5, which remind you of your real-life apartment, could indicate feelings of compartmentalizing various aspects of your life.
Overall, this dream suggests you are navigating through a phase of self-discovery, achieving a balance between reflecting on your past and envisioning your future. You may be on a journey of personal growth and grappling with self-perception, validation, and the fear of vulnerability. The dream encapsulates the interplay between personal and social expectations as you work towards your aspirations, treading through anxieties and finding satisfaction in your achievements.