Moving away to college was my dream. I grew up being pretty self-sufficient, and I knew that I would be able to survive on my own. Although I could take care of myself and I was pretty independent, I was introverted. And while there’s nothing wrong with being introverted, it can cause some difficulties while away at college. Here are some of those problems:
1. You want to make new friends, but you don’t want to go out.
The struggle of being in a new place. You want to meet new people and make new friends, but being an introvert can make meeting new people hard. You get invited to social events and part of you wants to go, but another part of you wants to stay at home. The internal battle can be agonizing.
2. You hate small talk.
"What's your major? Where are you from? Do you have any siblings?" Questions like that make me cringe, and I've heard each of them over one hundred times since I've moved into college. Unfortunately, most friendships go through small talk before they can get into real conversation.
3. The cafeteria is a madhouse.
People. Everywhere. All the time. This goes for Starbucks, the library, and almost every academic building on campus. Almost every seat in the cafeteria is full and you walk around with your plate aimlessly looking for a place to sit, not wanting to ask a total stranger to share a meal with you. Awkward.
4. You miss being home where you can be alone in peace.
Everybody needs a little alone time. Introverts seem to require a little more than most. Being at college, alone time can be hard to come by. You share a room with another person, so in a situation where you could normally go to your room for some alone time, you have a roommate, which means almost zero alone time. It can be frustrating.
5. By the end of the day, you feel drained.
No matter the situation, every day is full of overwhelming situations, like new classes and new people. While college can be so much fun, it can be tiring for an introvert. That's why it's important to lean on friends and family and try to listen to your body and mind as each day goes on.
