Someone could ask me to go and teach seven-year-olds for an entire day and I would do so very enthusiastically. On the other hand, if someone asked me to sit in front of a group of people I don't know and be the outgoing, personable one, there's a definite chance that wouldn't happen.

My parents love to tell me stories of how sweet and kind I was when I was little, but how that sweetness was almost always matched with shyness. Some things never change, so the person I was back then is the same person I am now, just a little more confident and a little bit wiser.

I've always thought of myself as an introvert because I tend to fit the description: shy, reserved, and definitely not wanting to be the center of attention. I loved having friends that I could always hang out with, but the personality types of my best friends have always been the opposite of mine. Coincidence? Probably not.

Despite me always having opportunities to talk, I've never been the one to initiate my stories. If you ask I will gladly tell you, but otherwise, I'm here to listen and laugh. I've never really felt like I shouldn't say something, it just happens to turn out that way. I can be in a room full of people and not notice that I haven't talked for four hours straight, even though I still feel completely engaged in the situation.

The past few months, though, have challenged the perceptions I had regarding myself and how introverted I am. Starting college means meeting a lot of new people, going to interviews, and really putting yourself out there. Don't get me wrong, I love to do all of those things, but balancing that will my innate personality type has been difficult, but very rewarding.

I've come to learn that I am much more in between a "quiet person" and a "storyteller" than I thought, and that's exactly where I'd like to be. When I'm around people that I know well or immediately like, I become more vocal and a lot more sociable. If the vibe in the room isn't as much my style, I may just sit back and enjoy it. The way I present myself depends a lot on the environment I'm in, but no matter how I come across, I always stay true to myself and how I'm feeling at that moment.

There are plenty of days when I love to talk to whoever is around and am excited to be around groups of people. There are also days, though, where I'd much rather sit in my room, do homework and watch "Cheetah Girls" instead of going out. It all really depends, but I make sure to have an equal amount of each.

The beauty of college, however, is that it has given me a much higher social stamina. At the beginning of my first semester, I could only hang out with people a couple of days a week because I needed time to recharge. I still give myself the alone time I need, but it isn't as necessary as it used to be. If I'm around people too much, I need some time alone, but if I'm alone too much, I'm in much need of hanging out with people for days on end.

My family members will probably argue that I'm not an introvert, because they know how much I can talk. I also have friends that would probably never describe me as extroverted, but to be honest, both descriptions fit me perfectly. I'm a lot of both.

It's ironic that I'm planning on having a career that requires an outgoing personality and an insane amount of talking, but I couldn't see myself doing anything else, especially with my personality type.

I love to listen, am shyer than the average person, and don't really speak up in front of people I just met, but I'm also confident, love to talk, and am willing to share my experiences with anyone that will listen.

I've learned to not let my sense of extraversion dictate a lot of things in my life, because no matter your personality, you always have the ability to be confident and successful.