I Thought I Was Broken Until I Discovered I’m an Introvert
I’ve always struggled to fit in. I daresay most introverts have experienced the feeling of being an “outsider” more than once.
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I’ve always struggled to fit in. I daresay most introverts have experienced the feeling of being an “outsider” more than once.
As an introvert, I kept to myself in class. You must have figured that I, a quiet and reserved kid, would be your perfect target.
When I, a socially anxious introvert, arrived in the ER, do you remember the words you spoke to me? You said, “Are you just doing this for the attention?”
Year after year, as a quiet introvert, I heard the same thing: “she’s a great student but she needs to speak up more. She needs to be more outgoing.”
I was attempting to suppress my emotions. Up until this moment, I had thought that an intelligent person should not—or cannot—be a sensitive person.
As an anxious introvert, I’ve been wearing many layers of social armor. I unconsciously developed these behaviors to help me cope with my anxiety.
Weddings in Germany begin early in the afternoon and last until the wee hours of the morning. This translates to at least twelve hours of socializing.
Rent day is too much, too fast, and too loud.
I am reflecting here on the worst public embarrassment of my career.
Before I got into writing, I used to spend my lunch times at school locked in a stall in the girl’s bathroom.