Tag Archives: extroversion

The War of Extroverts & Introverts: (I’m not a psychologist but I play one on my blog)

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All throughout my college career, I lived with introverted people. In fact, out of the eleven or so roommates I lived with (excluding my time abroad), only one was super extroverted. You might have thought it was some sort of weird, yet quiet conspiracy. (Nah, just personality checks & balances.)

Meanwhile, I stayed extroverted-ish (currently I’m sitting at home in sweatpants avoiding all people because I just don’t feel like interacting with anyone but Walter White so…)

I’m really getting tired of the whole extrovert versus introvert “war” that’s been raging online the past however long month. Because honestly…a healthy adult doesn’t see the need to define themselves based on a label NOR do they compare it constantly to the differing side.

Yes, you might be introverted or extroverted, but that’s not an excuse for bad behavior or rudeness. Personality theory is not like a secret club–(based on what theory of personality you profess) you are who you are & as far as I see it, there’s no need to project your insecurities, eccentricities, or whatnots into an inflexible label. 

Introverts…be introverted, but be yourself foremost.

Extroverts…be extroverted, but be yourself foremost.

…Does that make sense? You might be intro/extroverted but you AREN’T just an intro/extrovert. You (and personality in general) are sooo much more elastic than a list of traits & characteristics. 

Side note: I know this is big talk from someone who’s ENTIRE BLOG is titled “The Accidental Extrovert.” Well, that blog title just rocks. 

 

Going Out versus Staying In/Netflix, as told by gifs

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My life (and/or blog title) is a becoming a lie. I can feel myself slowly turning into more of an…introvert.

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Don’t get me wrong–some of my best friends are introverts!  But I can’t very well have a blog called The Accidental EXTROVERT and also take great joy in canceling plans and pretending to be a hermit.

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As the whole extrovert/introvert debacle is best defined as the source of one’s personal energy, I’d still say that mine comes from being social, but the older I become, the more I like to be social while staying in. 
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I like doing the same activities as, say, Laura Ingles Wilder: making a lot of crafts, reading, and watching a lot of comedies (okay, not really a Little House on the Prairie activity, but I’m sure she spent time watching…prairie dogs or something. Same difference.)  anigif_enhanced-buzz-25938-1368119119-40

But then someone will invite me to go out. Like OUT out. As in, out of my house. Which also means that I’d probably have to shower and look like a person rather than an amorphous pile of pajamas. Ugh. The effort.

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Large parties intimidate me sometimes. If all my friends were going to Gatsby’s house for a huge party, I’d probably stay home & pretend to be reading up on the stock exchange (arguably something more people SHOULD have done, let’s be honest).

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I would probably be helping his servants clean or serve drinks or something.

I like small parties because they force you to not be awkward. Which is always a plus. Awkward Kelsy<Charming Kelsy (unless…they’re the same person…Oh my gosh…)6425407653_b8d15f8963

Parties often are the sources of major personal quandaries, such as these:

SCENARIO 1: Sitting at home, researching very important information…

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…When a friend calls you & invites you to said party/gathering/whatever. The only person you’ll know there is your friend. This news is unpleasant. anigif_enhanced-buzz-13537-1368676527-3

But what can you do? You want to make more friends in the area. You want to live up to the mantle of extroversion. So, despite it all, you go. (But you know very well that if you had been invited via social media, you would’ve denied it faster than you can say “Netflix marathon.”)

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SCENARIO 2: So, you’re at the party and interacting (in real life) someone you regularly Facebook stalk/subsequently know everything about. Everything’s going swimmingly…until you accidentally talk about something you weren’t “supposed” to know…Uh…mayday, mayday. Abort conversation!

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SCENARIO 3: The party’s now awkward and it’s actually not your fault! Everyone’s talking about a shared memory/opinion of something you have NO idea about. Just pretend to text someone until the conversation becomes relatable? I mean, how long can this conversation last, right? tumblr_inline_mmrq99hT9V1rnvwt1WRONG, it never ends. Have fun being the new eleventh wheel. It’s also the 11th circle of social hell, basically, right after waving hi to someone & their lack of acknowledgement of your presence.  tumblr_inline_mmtrae9QTQ1rnvwt1…Oh parties. As far as I can tell, parties leave you feeling either one of two ways:
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anigif_enhanced-buzz-18207-1367304924-18Introversion doesn’t always mean the “I hate everyone”  party approach, nor is extroversion always the manic socializer. Both can be very fluid & situational, so I think it’s really important to understand that feelings are completely shifting compared to the sometimes restrictive personality label.

At a future party, large or small, I’m just going to wing it and see what happens!

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