Being An Introvert Is The Worst, And I Love It!

When my parents left me after moving me into college reality hit hard. Being an introvert there was a zero percent chance that I could leave my room and try to socialize. My roommate wasn't going to be moving in for another week, and I was totally alone. I was also totally scared. I spent most of that first day crying and looking out my window if I’m being honest.

                Now, it is important to know that I may be the worst at making friends. Ever. I am terrible at starting a conversation, or asking someone to hang out. I don’t know how I made the friends that I have now, but I’m fairly certain that it was a miracle. So, needless to say transitioning to college was terrifying. During orientation I made one friend, and she is still one of my best friends at this school. I am lucky I found someone who was so great so early. That’s where the friendship train stops. Since she was my only friend and I was hers we were pretty much always together. We worked together, ate together, got cookies together, but we didn't really make any other friends.

                Normally this is the part where someone would say that they went on to make a ton of friends and totally thrived during their freshman year in college, but that’s bullshit. I didn't thrive. I didn't make new friends. On the weekends I sat in my dorm and watched Law and Order until I fell asleep. Maybe it’s because I don’t like parties or drinking, or I don’t put myself out there enough, but regardless I didn't become some new person who forget she was an introvert. My boyfriend and I sat in a dorm and watch movies or Skyped constantly. I didn't meet any new best friends forever, or have the best year of my life. That doesn't mean I didn't love my freshman year though.

                My first year of college I learned more than I ever had before. Spending so much time alone allowed me to learn about myself. I worked harder my freshman year than any other year before. I got all A’s. I went from being an unpaid team member in an office to a paid intern. I helped start an organization to inform people and fight homelessness. I watched pretty much every Law and Order: SVU episode possible. Overall, I learned that I didn't need friends to make my college experience a great one. I feel that there is a standard that society sets. You need to be in a giant group of people playing Frisbee in the quad to feel accepted. That’s not true though, college isn't about who makes the most friends or who plays the most Frisbee! It’s about what you learn and becoming a better person who can survive in the real world.

                I probably could have tried a lot harder to make friends, but I've always been way too driven when it comes to doing actual school work. I thrive at work and in class because that’s what I love the most. Most importantly I learned that I didn't need to make a billion friends this year to feel good about myself, I just needed some really close ones. Everything is going to be okay. Being an introvert can suck, but that doesn't mean that it’s the end of the world! Once you find what you’re good at you will find people who you want to be around who like doing the same thing, and if you don’t then at least you’re doing something you love!