Anyone that knows me probably knows that I hate being the center of attention, I hate being stared at and called upon in class. I don’t particularly love being in huge group settings, and right before a presentation I start to shake and get very anxious. I’m considered shy. But what most people don’t know is when I’m actually presenting, I like it. I like knowing everything about the topic I’m presenting. In middle school, I loved drama class and putting on productions. And even though I don’t love huge groups of people, I love socializing in smaller group settings and interacting with other people. Even more shocking, I actually really liked going through sorority recruitment as a PNM and talking to new people. This makes me an introverted-extrovert -- and here are a few more confessions.
1. I just need time to recharge.
For me, and others like me, being around people is exhausting. Even though I could be enjoying myself, I also need time to myself to relax and recharge and focus on myself, so don’t take it personally. Sometimes I just love knowing that I don’t have anywhere to be and the only schedule I have to go by is the one I set for myself.
2. Just because I love time to just lay in bed and watch Netflix all by myself doesn’t mean I love being alone all the time.
Once I’ve had time to recharge, I’m ready for the next adventure. Even though I can only take certain social settings in small doses, I still love to hang out with friends and family because human connections and interactions are still very important to me.
3. I love being asked to do things.
I actually do like being around people, going on adventures and trying new things. As long as I’ve had time to recharge and have no other plans, I’ll probably say yes.
4. I like meeting new people and visiting big cities with huge crowds.
I’ll be the first to say I’m not the most social person out there, but I still love to meet new people and make new friends. I also love the hustle and bustle of big cities (hello, NYC); I love the energy and being caught up in it.
5. If I spend too much time with others I get exhausted.
When I’m done being caught up in the energy, I start to crash and just need time to myself. This doesn’t mean I don’t like the people I’m with or that I wasn’t having fun or that I don’t want to be invited to do things anymore. It just means I’m emotionally exhausted and need time to recharge (refer back to Confession #1).
