It goes without saying that life isn’t easy at the moment – reality feels dystopian, milestones have been put on pause, and our social lives are halted – but looking back at how I’ve spent quarantine for the past six months back home, I couldn’t have managed without my introversion. As an introvert, I have always found it a unique phenomenon that I can never quite explain; on a Friday night, we may party until four in the morning with our closest friends, but will likely need at least the entire weekend to recharge!
I thought I would celebrate introverts today by looking back on all the ways that I have used my introverted superpowers during quarantine:
Study date for one please
I never identified with the herd mentality the American educational system engrained in its students’ minds. The idea that group work, study groups, and collective brainstorming are the most ‘efficient’ ways to learn is unfathomable to me. I always have, and always will, work better alone. This is not to say I mind working in groups – that is totally fine. However, I function best when I have time to work independently, to pick at my brain and process my thoughts at my own pace, before coming together as a group and presenting them to others. A commonality often found among introverts is the ability to focus for long periods of time, typically on things that they are passionate about. Whether it is painting, reading, or writing an essay, once introverts get in the ‘zone’, it’s go-time. Give me a day to myself, with no one to distract me, and just watch how much I get done! This has been especially true during quarantine.
Ability to reflect on myself
I would be lying if I said the transition from my busy life at university to that of my quiet one at home was not difficult. It was, and transitioning from seeing friends 24/7 and always having a place to be, to hanging out with my parents, was bizarre to say the least. However, after a few weeks I learned to settle into my new rhythm. This meant learning to be comfortable by myself again, especially when there was nothing else to do. Another introvert’s superpower is the ability to sit in peace with your thoughts for extended periods of time. One of my favorite things to do during quarantine was to sit on my porch on a rainy day with a cup of tea, and just think quietly to myself. I would envision my future, what I want to do with my life, and reminisce on memories from University before the pandemic struck. Introverts gain their energy from spending time with themselves and if quarantine gave me anything, it was ample time to do just that!
No pressure
In a way, quarantine felt like a breath of fresh air. I could simply wake up on a quiet morning, enjoy a cup of coffee, talk to no one for hours, and thoroughly enjoy it. In an extrovert-ideal world, introverts may find it difficult to fit in. From putting on a face to make a good impression, to accepting jobs that favor team workers and socializers over quiet thinkers…the list goes on. Quarantine alleviated this pressure. I could sit in silence for hours at a time without feeling like I was needed somewhere else. I could simply be. For introverts, quarantine offered the deep breath that we constantly crave, in a world that feels as if it is always moving.
Ultimately, this is not to say that introverts didn’t struggle with quarantine. Quarantine was incredibly straining mentally, physically, and emotionally for people from all walks of life, introverted or not. After all, social interaction is the underpinning of human connections, and introversion and extroversion are not dichotomous by any means. They lie on a spectrum, with some people sliding more towards one side, or fluctuating between both. However, introverts may have a few more tricks up their sleeves to battle social isolation. Our superpowers often go unnoticed by the outside world, but we know their value, and use them to our advantage whenever we can.