Imagine that you just had a really bad day. Like, terrible day at work full of meetings, people yelling at you and making you do their menial work. The commute home consisted of standstill traffic, swerving people who just love to honk and swear at you. When you finally get home, all that you want to do is collapse onto the couch with a nice drink, zone out and fall into a Netflix spiral.
Then, your phone vibrates. It's your best friend, inviting you to come hang out at this bar or that person's house. You look at the paused television screen, down at your pajamas, and finally the snacks that litter your bed. You are just about to text them that you can't because you already have plans, but they send another message, saying they knew you had no plans and were on their way to your place to help you get ready anyway.
You let out a sigh for a few continuous minutes, then roll out of bed and onto the floor. You stand up and straighten the covers and gather up the snack debris. You think about brushing your hair, but you just give it a pat and put on a t-shirt and your favorite pair of old jeans. You click play on the remote and let Netflix soothe you while you wait for your night to "start."
Your friend comes in with a flourish, no knocking or announcing their presence. They give your appearance a once over, and you throw your head back as they march past you into your closet. You sit on the bed as they sort through your clothes, passing over button downs and tees that look perfectly acceptable to you.
Once you have gone through what feels like a What Not To Wear-esque transformation, you both head to the destination. You get a drink and find a spot that seems a little quieter than the rest of the place. You look around, wondering if there is a dog or a cat around for you to pet. A few friends start to gravitate towards you and you slowly comment on their conversation. While you find yourself missing your bed and comfy pj's, and wondering what was going to happen next on the show that you left paused, you find yourself having a good time.
You like to go out just as much as the people around you, but it takes you a little prodding to get out the door. You could classify yourself as a social introvert; someone who likes being around friends but doesn't want to have to go out and see if you'll have a good time, because what if you don't? And then what—do you stay there and be miserable, or leave and feel guilty for bailing? Sometimes it takes our extroverted friends and a bit of coercion to get us to go out. But once we do, we are so grateful to them and glad that we actually went out. Netflix will still be there in the morning.
