introversion

It's my fourth day in Liverpool today, and my induction at the university begins tomorrow morning. As expected, I haven't really being enjoying Welcome Week. While I'm all for having fun, and understand that my own tastes don't necessarily match up to those of others, it undeniably fails to cater for a wide range of personalities. Welcome Week - which, despite the name, is 15 days long - is simply club events every single night for the next fortnight, which is definitely not my thing. I'd prefer a little variation as not everyone likes clubbing - especially not every single night.

My brand of evening fun is to go and watch some live music at a small, intimate venue, or an open mic night. I really don't want to sound like I'm whining because I already have fallen in love with the city and my roommates are lovely, but I went out the first night with everyone and I couldn't stand it. Why are introverts so unacceptable to greater society? I am intelligent and thoughtful, and when I have something genuine or of value to say, I'll speak up. But I'm not going to go tearing down the street, shrieking at people because I like the sound of my own voice and getting drunk out of my mind as long as everyone else is doing it. I probably sound as though I'm being incredibly judgmental about the people who enjoy this sort of thing - I'm not. My flatmates have been partaking in it too, but they haven't been acting obnoxious or falling over, wasted - they've just been going out, doing a little dancing, chatting warmly and having fun, because they enjoy it. I have no problem with that whatsoever. My issue is with the rejection of introversion, socially.

I'm not trying to argue that being an extrovert is to be of less value, at all. I'm merely trying to make a point that the contrary view is equally misguided. We live in a world where introversion is unacceptable and seen as a flaw. It is an instinct, not a decision, yet our whole lives "they" try to drill it out of us, because it's more social and healthy that way. But is it really healthy to force someone to spend uncomfortable periods of time with others if they are happiest alone? It is draining and unnatural. Famous introverts - like Einstein, Audrey Hepburn and Al Pacino - are revered, but in real life? People with this nature are often viewed as lacking in personality, aloof and vacant.

There are many positives to being an introvert, so don't sell yourself short trying to conform if it's not what you want. Creativity is often linked to it - many legendary musicians included- and we are often sensitive to other people's feelings due to all the time we spend immersed in our own minds. We are also calm, quite often a bit kooky and uncoventional, and have an increased likelihood of high intelligence. Being an extrovert is also advantageous, of course, but I'm less familiar with that side of a person's biological mental programming. Soon, I'll ask a more externally focused friend to write a guest post about it, so I can give a balanced view.

Yours Quietly,

Amy Louise

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