I am a self-diagnosed introvert, but I have also taken many personality tests that have told me that I am an introvert as well. Being an introvert, for me, has been both a challenge and a way to success; the dictionary definition of an introvert is a person predominantly concerned with their own thoughts and feelings rather than with external things, which for me at least is not always true. The opposite of an introvert is an extrovert which is defined as a person predominantly concerned with external things or objective considerations.

Socially and professionally extroversion has been valued greater than introversion in recent decades. For example, as a society we have begun to move towards collaboration instead of independent work. We emphasize how important it is to be a contributing member of a team instead of the importance of focusing in and working alone. Not to say that all introverts prefer to work independently or that introversion is better than extroversion, but it is important to acknowledge that there are different personality types that work better in different ways, and prefer to socialize in different ways.

“Introversion- along with its cousins sensitivity, seriousness, and shyness- is now a second-class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology. Introverts living in the Extrovert Ideal are like women in a man's world, discounted because of a trait that goes to the core of who they are. Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but we've turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform.”
― Susan Cain, "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Won't Stop Talking"

As an introvert there are times that I enjoy going out and socializing with others. It’s not like I am a hermit who only talks to my family (most of the time). Introversion for me means that after I have spent a good amount of time socializing or working with a group of people I need to wind down by myself in order to feel more energized. There is almost a social stigma attached to the word introvert. People associate the word with unfriendly, quiet individuals, which is not true at all. Yes, having an extroverted person come up to you and want to learn everything about you is wonderful, but it can be equally as wonderful to get to know someone slowly and in depth.

The reason being an introvert for me is a challenge is that in overly social situations I can come off as quiet, shy, unfriendly or even stuck up. I will admit that I am shy and I am quiet but once I let people get to know me I can be a lot more talkative, confident and will come off as friendlier. The same can be said of professional situations. I can be a wonderful team player but I will be more successful if at least for a while I can plan out my thoughts and work independently. In some of my classes and even in my professional life collaboration has been pushed on projects, discussions and even essays which can be very valuable. However, always having to collaborate can mean that people are not allowed to develop their own way of working or thinking, which can be harmful to us as a society.

“Introverts, in contrast, may have strong social skills and enjoy parties and business meetings, but after a while wish they were home in their pajamas. They prefer to devote their social energies to close friends, colleagues, and family. They listen more than they talk, think before they speak, and often feel as if they express themselves better in writing than in conversation. They tend to dislike conflict. Many have a horror of small talk, but enjoy deep discussions.” -Susan Cain, "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Won't Stop Talking

Being an introvert is not just a challenge though, it has also lead the way for me to be successful in many parts of my life. I may not have 50 friends, but I know I have at least 10 close friends that I feel I can trust. If I was not an introvert I may not be able to say the same thing - I may have 50 friends, which can be equally as good. I work very well independently due to my introversion, I am perfectly happy not talking to another person for five hours, allowing me time to focus on my work. Introverts and extroverts bring important points of view to any discussion and team. Both are equally important and so are independent and team work.

So the next time you assume that quiet person in your class thinks they're better than you or are unfriendly, think about the different personality types.