It's not that I don't enjoy social interaction, it's just that I would much rather be wrapped up binge watching Netflix or reading a good book, after all, the characters in said shows/books don't expect me to talk back to them.

I wouldn't call it social anxiety, I can easily hold a conversation with distant relatives or even complete strangers, I would just prefer not to.It's not clinical and it's not a huge issue that keeps me from going out or stops me from experiencing things, but it is something that sits in the back of my mind every time I encounter someone new. "What if I run out of things to say?" Or "what if I say something dumb and that's all they remember about me?"

Nervous sweating and constant overthinking is ALWAYS my body's go-to reaction. Embarrassingly, I was the friend who always had to get someone else to talk to waiters or workers for me. I would leave stores when I couldn't find what I needed instead of simply asking for assistance. I would pre-plan conversations in my head so I would know what to expect when meeting someone new. When it came to talking to someone I wasn't familiar with, I was a mess.

Fortunately, as I've grown up and figured out what I wanted to do with my life (I'm a marketing major, so the rest of my life will consist of small talk, how ironic) I slowly but surely have gotten over some of the fear I once had when it came to having conversations with people I didn't know. As silly as it may seem, and no matter how badly I would rather be in the comfort of my own room safe from any kind of social interactions, my discomfort with small talk is gradually improving. (No matter how awkward it may be).