By the time college rolls around, most of us have taken the Myers-Briggs personality test. Part of the test tells you whether you tend to be more extroverted or introverted. Not surprising to anyone who knows me well, the test tells me that I'm very introverted. However, those who don't know me very well may be surprised to learn that I'm an introvert. I tend to be an outgoing person. I have my shy moments, but for the most part, I love to meet new people, make friends, and hang out in groups. Yet, somehow I'm still an introvert.
So how is this possible? Introversion and extroversion are not synonymous with being shy or outgoing. Instead, determining whether you are an introvert or an extrovert just determines from where you draw your energy. Do you feel energized and 'at your best' when you're around other people? Does the thought of alone time terrify you? Then congratulations, you are an extrovert.
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In my case, I need alone time in order to recharge. Even though I love being around my friends, I usually leave group functions feeling drained and not quite myself. Honestly, I look forward to heading back to my dorm, making some tea and curling up in bed for an exciting night of Netflix.
Those of us who classify ourselves as 'outgoing introverts' have to deal with a unique set of struggles. For example, we might try really hard to make plans and schedule our lives with plenty of social events. Yet when our plans fall through or someone makes a last minute cancellation, we suddenly find ourselves secretly happy. In other instances, we might overestimate our capacity for human interaction in a day. There are times in college where I find myself scheduling social plans for every second I'm not in class. It feels great to look in my planner and see, "dinner with Madison at 4 p.m., 8 p.m. movie with Julia, study session with Skylar at 11 p.m.," but when I finally make it through my four classes of the day, the prospect of social interaction just seems too exhausting.
Being an outgoing introvert means having to dig deeper to understand your own wants and needs. It means having to become flexible, not only with other people, but also with yourself. It means allowing yourself to cancel plans when they become too much, but also pushing your own boundaries. It means accepting that there will be days when you want to go out and meet a thousand new friends, and days that you need to spend 12 hours with a book and maybe a cat or two.
All in all, if you are an outgoing introvert, take comfort in knowing that you are not alone and that you are one of the most unique types out there.
