Introversion is loosely defined as a personality trait composed of a focus on internal rather than external means of stimulation. I myself am an introvert, and I used to think it was the worst thing ever. I have found that being an introvert is something only introverts can understand. I am sure you've found yourself in a situation where another person (specifically an extrovert) has told you to "just do it" (where it can be anything from leaving your room to asking a question in class). It is really hard to do when you get exhausted engaging in a conversation for more than 5 minutes.
Once people realize you are an introvert, they will leave you alone. In high school, group projects were my worst fear (they still are in college). Eventually, my teachers realized that I worked better on my own so they stopped forcing me to join groups. On the other hand, people also tend to think introverts want to be left alone all the time. Just like any other human, I need social interaction, too. Just no more than 5 minutes.
In addition, I have found that I am much more observant than the average person. As a result, I remember things from 10 years ago. Can you remember the name of the girl you sat next to in 1st grade? I do. Honestly, being overly observant is kind of annoying. I will point things out to people and they will ignore me. Then, 10 minutes later, everyone finally notices and cares. Just because I'm quiet, doesn't mean I should be ignored.
Along with being more observant, introverts also take their time. I always think before I act. Extroverts are generally optimistic and jump head first into situations. While I wish I could be brave, I need to plan out everything I want to say before I say it out loud. Being an introvert allows me to appreciate the small things in life because I have already planned for the big things. Although, being careful means that I do miss out on things that could have benefitted me. As a result, I've had to work on finding the balance between being cautious and overly cautious.
As an introvert, I am calm. So calm in fact that it alarms people. For many people, being this calm is strange; to them I am lazy or indifferent to the situation. Trust me, I care that I failed that test but what can I do about now? I have always found that there is no point in getting impusively angry or sad; You have to move on and make more careful decisions next time.
It took me a long time to come to terms with being an introvert. For a while, I didn't know there was a word for my personality. Now, I realize that my introversion is probably one of the best things about me. There's a lot of baggage that accompanies being an introvert, as I'm sure there is with being an extrovert. However, if you're worried about making friends, don't worry, introverts attract introverts- if you can catch us while we're outside!