Depending on who I’m within that exact moment determines how outgoing or quiet I am. Some people say that I’m very quiet and continually mention my lack of conversation or engagement in a specific activity. On the other hand, my best friends know the crazy side of me. The side that gets super goofy when I’m overtired, the side that tries to dance even though I wasn’t born with that talent or the side that will never say no to chocolate no matter the hour of the day. People I know are either very loud or very quiet, while I consider myself a two in one. I’m not a huge advocate for labels because they always seem so permanent and daunting; however, today I will confidently label myself as an introverted extrovert.
I’m the type of person that keeps to myself most of the day, but loves to engage in conversation with the people that I see. I think I’m a social butterfly when I have the opportunity to be one. I love to catch up on life over breakfast or coffee and be social is often my source of energy. Though, taking my busy schedule into consideration, I usually eat lunch quick in order to be on time to my next class or to save time for studying in my suite. My priorities sometimes outweigh the opportunity to socialize for a quick 30 minutes and I do think that people take this the wrong way. Being an introverted extrovert comes with a few consequences and two are being that I will never be the most social person you will ever meet and also, more often than not your introverted side does annoy you.
I’m the type of person that would rather stay in on a Friday night with my best friends and order take out and watch a movie rather than being at a crowded courts party with 50 other sweaty people you have never seen before. Yes, I still go out with my best friends and of course we have a blast, but the high from socializing that I get can only be maintained for so long. Acknowledging this, I do feel like I’m testing my comfortability in a social setting. Meeting new people is something I sometimes struggle with because I’m not outgoing right from the start; it takes me a little longer to warm up to new people. I do not want to be known for the “awkward person” but for some reason, my introverted side does tend to take over (this is something that I try to work on every day).
Reflecting on myself and how much I’ve grown as a person over the course of the past two years, I’ve begun to embrace my personality and the certain things that make me unconditionally happy. If you feel yourself falling under this so-called “introverted extrovert” category, you must own it and be confident. There is only one of you in the world, so be happy and be proud to be you! Be aware of the fact that maybe being an introverted extrovert isn’t such a bad thing after all.
