I'm definitely not an extrovert. I can barely engage in small talk, and on the rare occasions that I can, I find myself craving something bigger -- a more meaningful conversation. Parties were never and will never be my thing. A loud, disruptive house full of people I don't know?
No, thank you.
I don't have five billion friends who are always down to hang out; I have a small, but solid group of best friends that I share an unbreakable bond with.
With that said, I'm nowhere near an introvert, either. I'm extremely talkative (for the most part), I enjoy my free time, but only in small doses. I have to be out and about nearly all day. It's where I get my energy. I crave human interaction constantly when I'm by myself, and often feel lonely when this need isn't met.
Not an introvert, not an extrovert... I fall somewhere in the middle. Here are some of the truths of being an ambivert, as told by personal experience.
1. The constant need to be out and about.
You can ask my parents, friends, roommates, etc. If I'm not in class, I need to go to at least three different places per day in order to keep myself occupied. This can be just a quick trip to Starbucks, a look around Barnes and Noble, or even a nice workout at the gym. Anything to get me out of the house!
2. After a long, productive day, home is the equivalent of heaven!
Ah yes, there's nothing like unwinding after a long day by watching "Black Mirror" in my room with my two cats and a glass of red wine.
3. Any opportunity to go on adventures with friends is an absolute blessing.
I'm always looking for new opportunities to make new, fun memories with those I love, from late night McDonald's runs to road trips. Anything that involves a car ride full of good music and deep conversations!
4. Once I'm ready to go home, I'm ready to go home.
Once I can feel my energy dropping, continuing a hangout will only make me become irritable, and nobody wants to hang out with me when I transform into Mrs. Cranky Pants! Even if I'm having the time of my life with good friends, at the end of the day, I need my me-time to recharge so I can be my best self the next day.
5. Too extroverted for the introverts, too introverted for the extroverts.
It's almost like you're stuck... No, not to a telephone pole. I meant you're stuck in the middle. Dude, didn't your mom ever teach you to keep your tongue to yourself?
6. Sitting at the end of the row at the movie theater is pure bliss.
Let me tell you guys, there is nothingbetter than sitting at the end of the row at the movies where no one can bother you. This especially goes if it's a near-empty movie theater. Only then will I sit in the middle of the row.
7. Sitting at the end of the table at group dinners is an absolute nightmare.
It's a given that those at the end of the table are bound to eventually be excluded from the main conversation due to proximity (or lack thereof), so they (and by "they" I mean "me") are forced to resort to playing on their phone while everyone else is chatting away about something you won't get to listen to.
Whatever it is, it's probably not that interesting, but it would be nice to be part of the action.
8. I'm an expert at initiating new friendships
I'll talk to anyone and everyone. A customer I once had described me as the kind of person that has "never met a stranger," and I couldn't agree more with this statement! I'm the first to ask for someone's number and hit them with the ever-famous, "we should hang out sometime!" line.
9. I'm not the best at maintaining new friendships.
I suck at texting back and keeping plans, which means that friendships I just initiated are probably not going to go anywhere, and we'll just remain acquaintances. Definitely looking forward to those awkward, unexpected moments where we randomly bump into each other on the way to class!
10. I make plans when I'm having an extroverted day.
I get super pumped by the idea of going out with friends, and I'm the kind of person to text them each day until our scheduled hangout, reminding them how excited I am to spend time with them.
11. Of course, my introvert side just has to make an appearance on the day of our scheduled hangout! *sigh*
Boy, the introvert in me sure has great timing...not! This usually results in me cancelling on my friends, putting on a fake "fun" act, or being boring and quiet the entire time (a complete contrast to my usual chipper self).
So I stay in and just watch TV or I go out by myself. But of course as soon as I decide to stay in, my extrovert side returns and says, "Hello, remember me?" I can never win with these two hooligans in my brain!
