No matter how much I’ve tried to escape them, my introverted ways have followed me into adulthood. When I was in high school, the quietness and reserved personality I almost always exhibited was seen as a quirk or an endearing trait. I always assumed I’d grow into my own skin, so to speak, and become more comfortable with speaking up and socializing - which I have - but in some ways I am still that shy awkward high schooler.
I’ve taken personality tests - loads of them, as it seems they are built into the curriculum of numerous college courses - and they almost always come out the same. I am an introvert, though I possess certain characteristics of extroverts as well, and I am most energized by alone time - time spent reading a book, writing my Odyssey articles, or simply thinking (I know the thought of simply sitting alone with one’s thoughts will drive some people crazy). That’s just how I’ve always been.
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I’ve never really seen it as a bad thing. Sometimes my quiet and introspective nature makes social gatherings a big challenge, interviews especially stressful, and participation points in class the most bothersome thing of all time - but I’ve learned that there are also benefits to my introspection.
Just because I have come to terms with the way I function as a human being, that doesn’t mean that being an introvert is always easy. There have been times when I have sobbed to my parents about a certain class - most notably my Algebra II class in high school where everything was structured in a group format, we even had group tests. There are still days that are rough for me and that wipe me out physically and mentally - like spending two days straight with the freshmen students in the class I am a teaching assistant for to kick off the semester. Sometimes it does feel like I am the odd one out in a world that caters to the people persons and extroverts - if you don’t believe me that society is set up for the outgoing, just watch Susan Cain’s Ted Talk below - but I have learned to adapt in some ways, and learned how to feed my introverted soul in other capacities.
I know now that in order to succeed in an extroverted world, I have to adapt. This adaptation is a good thing. Just because I am an introvert does not mean that I can’t be a leader and that I can’t make friends. It may mean that the social aspects of both of those things require a bit more thought and exertion for me, but I can do them. I’ve learned that I need to assert myself in class - I’ve made a rule that I have to make at least one contribution to any class discussions, and I stick to that. If I want to contribute more, great. If I don’t contribute at all, I will feel like I wasn’t a beneficial part of the lecture that day - and it makes me try even harder to speak up next time.
While sometimes it is hard living in a world geared towards extroverts and where everyone will tell me how shy I am (as if I don’t already know), learning to adapt and function in society is important. I may need to recuperate with a book after an evening out or go straight to bed after a long day at school, but that’s okay. That means I tried to exert myself for some amount of time and that I succeeded at least a little bit in doing so.
