Introverts get kind of a bad rap, you know? Sometimes they can seem like anti-social, stuck-up rude people who would rather be by themselves than interact with others. I mean, the literal definition of an introvert is "a shy, reticent person." Their shyness can sometimes put a damper on whatever activity you've got going on, and the fact that they usually just kind of sit there in silence is a little bit awkward. After meeting an introverted person for the first time, you've probably thought, Wow, this person hates me because who in their right mind would avoid conversation on purpose?

Well, my extroverted friends, I understand. I understand what it's like to interact with these sorts of people because, believe it or not, I am actually an introvert (*gasp*).

First off, let me tell you that, most of the time, your introverted acquaintance does not actually hate you. The most likely reason for their silence is that they just simply do not have anything to say. Yes, it's that simple. I know for me if I'm with a group of people, I will stay silent until I have something absolutely essential to add to the conversation. It's exhausting for introverts to keep up a constant lively conversation, and we don't mean for our silence to be viewed as awkward; it's just a moment for rest. This is especially true in very busy environments. Introverts tend to try to process everything going on at once, so for example, imagine that you're in the car with a group of people. As you sit in the car, you notice all the cars that pass by, all the pedestrians that are walking alongside the road, all the interesting buildings and, in addition to that, there's a person trying to hold a conversation with you. Trying to process all this action at once is very difficult to do.

A lot of people view an introvert's lack of outgoingness as being rude or stuck-up. For example, if you have a full day of activities planned, by the end of the day, an introvert will most likely want to dip out and go home. No more plans, no more talking—nothing. Who in their right mind would turn down plans with me to go sit by themselves? They definitely hate me. It's crazy, but introverts would. This lack of enthusiasm for social gatherings and events can be viewed as rudeness or arrogance. A lot of people interpret an introvert's decision to ditch the scene as they think they're too good to spend time with me, but, for the most part, that's just not the case at all.

After a full day of activities, introverts are barely holding on to their sanity. Their energy level will probably be low, and going home to watch Netflix alone sounds like paradise. I totally understand where this "rude" stigma comes from though because I would probably jump to this conclusion as well if I was trying to talk to or spend time with someone, and it was apparent that they just really didn't want to. I would assume that person just straight-up didn't like me. It's a completely normal assumption to make, so I understand.

So, just for a moment, let me speak on behalf of all introverts and say that I'm sorry that our personalities can sometimes give off the wrong impression. But that being said, I will not apologize for being an introvert. Introverts, extroverts, ambiverts—it doesn't matter. Everyone is special in their own way, and everybody has their own individual quirks that make them unique to who they are. So the next time you meet someone and you're thinking, Wow, they must hate me, I hope you take a second to really think about if your new friend is actually an antisocial hermit who hates you or if they're just an introvert. And if they are, indeed, an introvert, just give them time — they'll open up.