Introverts are often pegged as being shy or even anti-social due to their quiet, sometimes reserved nature. Because of this, they can feel misunderstood, as they have grown up in an extroverted world. If you have introverted friends, they could be times when they can be difficult to understand, as they are not quick to offer information about themselves. In order to aide you in understanding your introverted friends, here is an extrovert’s guide to understanding introverts:
Despite seeming quiet, introverts enjoy conversation
Introverts are not usually the ones to begin a conversation, but that does not necessarily mean that they will not talk with you. “Just because introverts seem shy doesn’t mean we don’t want to talk to people. It just takes more energy for us to,” junior Maddie Kouche said. Because talking with others requires more energy, introverts are not a fan of small talk as described by Introvertdear.com. They want you to talk to them about elements of your life that will help them to connect with you on a deeper level.
Introverts need their alone time
Introverts draw their energy from thinking and meditating on their own, so social situations can feel taxing from time to time. “I wish extroverts knew that it’s nothing against them if I don’t want to hang out or talk; I just need some time to recharge,” junior Brianna Taylor said. Introverts enjoy the occasional social gathering; however, according to Lifehack.org, they may need time afterwards to recover from such a large excretion of energy.
Introverts are not anti-social or shy
It may take time for an introvert to open up to you, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are shy or anti-social according to Verywellfamily.com. “They’re not shy, they just want to think before they talk,” Theology department chair Sam Roflow. Because much of their dialogue is internal, introverts have often contemplated their words long before they speak them, so it could take a while for an introvert to offer their thoughts up for conversation, but when they do, their words can be incredibly valuable and insightful.
Introverts tend to have a smaller group of friends
Extroverts tend to have a large group of people with whom they socialize, while introverts tend to have a select group of individuals who they interact with as stated by Introvertspring.com. These relationships often have intense emotional depth. “We’re extremely social, but it tends to be our more personal inner circle that we open up to,” sophomore Emily Sarge said. “We just work differently when it comes to how we rule our social life.”
Introverts care more about their own personal reasoning
Though they often give advice to others, Introverts don’t tend to seek help from others. “I feel like introverts take more influence from what they tell themselves than what others try to tell them,” junior Aiden Guessford said. “I tend to run situations and problems over in my head and come to a conclusion based solely on my own reasoning, shunning away the advice and concern of others who try to empathize with me.” According to Learning-mind.com, Introverts can be intuitive, and rely on their gut feelings rather than the input of those around them.
Photo courtesy of aconsciousrethink.com.
The McNicholas Milestone 