When I was little, I was absolutely petrified to talk to people. I was that shy girl that rarely spoke to anyone. I'm surprised I had any friends at all. But somehow I did. I was so scared that I would say the wrong thing and people would judge me or I simply couldn't think of anything to say. People always said things like "you're so quiet" or "why are you so shy?" Somewhere along the way, I came out of my shell and became more outgoing than ever before.

I learned how to talk to people and have fun with it. Things became easier and I wasn't so scared. But it wasn't all easy. I still had trouble meeting new people and making new friends. Even though it wasn't easy, I made myself get out there, and it was totally worth it. I met some amazing people and made some amazing memories.

Even today, it's still hard for me sometimes. I've definitely gotten better at it, but it's still hard. I'm really just an awkward person. It's as simple as that. My friends joke that I'm literally the most awkward person in the world, but it's really not a joke. I seriously am painfully awkward.

Now more than ever, it's not that I'm scared of talking to people anymore, but more that I prefer to observe. I'd rather listen than talk. I like learning more about the people around me and I feel like listening is more effective than speaking. Of course I talk to people and I socialize, but I'm not the type of person to talk all day long.

So if you're the "quiet" girl too, know that you're not alone. I completely understand your struggle. And let me tell you, the struggle is real. Because for the most part, we want to be social, but sometimes we just don't know how. We want to make new friends and have fun with them, but sometimes we feel like meeting people is not so fun. When we have to try so hard to make conversation, it can be a bit stressful.

But trust me, I've been that girl who stays quiet, but I've also been that girl who speaks her mind a little too bluntly. I've been on both ends of the spectrum, and I don't think one end is better than the other. Being quiet isn't a bad thing. You can learn so much about the world around you in silence and take it all in. It's a great feeling. But sometimes you have to speak up. You have to find a happy medium between talking too much and not talking enough. It's harder to find than it seems, but it's completely worth it when you do find it.