Introverts can have it rough. Though much of the time we enjoy hanging out and having conversations just as much as anyone else, there are lots of times where we feel socially drained and would rather just get through the day and recharge alone. Naturally, these tend to be the times when other people are the most outgoing, leaving us poor introverts frozen like deer in the headlights.

Checking Out At The Store

When introverts have spent half the day wandering up and down crowded aisles trying to stock our pantries or pick out some new clothes, the last thing we want is to end such an unpleasant experience with a complete stranger trying to strike up a conversation. We know we’re never going to see the cashier again, so is it really necessary to ask about our personal lives?

Even worse is when they try to make some comment about our purchases. Yeah, so what if the cart contains nothing but imported beer and chocolate syrup? We don’t judge you on your choices, and we certainly don’t try to drag you into a conversation about them.

If only all checkout lines could be self-checkout lines.

Getting a Haircut

Imagine you’ve had a long day and you don’t really feel like having a conversation with anybody. Now imagine that you have to end that day by spending half an hour trapped in a chair as somebody holds blades to your head and systematically cycles through every conversation topic known to man. You have to participate because this encounter will affect your physical appearance for the next several weeks, and once you start, you're locked in until you're finished, unless you plan on walking out with your hair looking as lopsided as Quasimodo climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Worst of all, this is a routine occurrence, at least for guys, though girls have the struggle of having to stay for much longer when they go. If it weren’t for the fact that trimming your own hair is about as easy as removing your own appendix, you can bet every introvert out there would be snipping away in their own bathroom mirror.

Going To The Dentist

This one is basically the same as getting a haircut only this time someone is probing around in your mouth with tools that look like they’d be better suited to filleting a particularly stubborn fish. As if struggling to make conversation weren’t enough already, you can bet your biscuits that they’ll ask you something that warrants a long response the moment they’ve started prodding around in your mouth.

Sitting On a Bus/Train/Airplane

Fast-moving vehicle. Infrequent stops. Tiny, confined space. Chatty stranger just inches away -- Stephen King, we have your next book idea.

With so many social butterflies out there, the world can be a scary place for introverts. So extroverts, please do us a favor: if the conversation leaves us looking like we just stumbled into our worst nightmare, just let us slink on home. It’s not you—it’s just people in general.