Ranting Of An Introvert

It’s a crucial phase of my life, as I see my seniors graduate and others still sitting for placements. I realise it will be me in a year. Struggling to get a job, people assessing you on the basis of your marks in tests where some could have cheated or you could have not been feeling well to give your hundred per cent, or they judge you on your ability to speak and explain yourself in a tense atmosphere.

No, it doesn’t sound that bad for extroverts and the ones with full faith in themselves. The situation is a bit scary for Introverts like me though, who have a lot to say but are selective about the people they express it to. We are the underdogs and the hard workers, the ones too caught up in their own world to bother others. So strong, yet mild to the outside world.

The chaos going inside our minds could knock the walls of every challenge in this world yet we are bound by our own fears, insecurities and the relationships that make us who we are. We are empathisers, helpers and supporters. We care for humans and animals alike yet we are the ones termed as boring or cold or just indifferent. But we care much more than you realise and much more we let on. We just choose to not be verbal about our feelings lest our protective walls come down.

No, it doesn’t limit our capabilities in any way, it is what enhances us. The quiet nights spent deliberating and dreaming rather than chatting away our time on various social networks (due to lack of many friends mainly). We may be alone but we are not lonely. We enjoy our own company. Yes we sometimes feel the lack of a big group hanging out but deep down we know the selective friends we have are the ones who will be there in the time of need.

Yes we would rather curl up on the bed and read a book than go to a party, but on the rare occasions we do, we become the life of the party. No we are never the centre of attention and we don’t want it to be that way. Attention makes us uneasy.

If you vaguely know someone who seems too full of themselves and far-fetched just because they don’t talk to anyone, go ahead , make a move and talk to them, maybe you’ll find a cool friend worth keeping for life. We aren’t all serious and broody; we might actually be cooler than you make us to be. We love humour as much as you do, just not the racist, sexist or offending kinds. We know the line between humour and an insult.

Also, just because we don’t put up a fight on every small issue or are always available whenever you are in trouble, do not take us for granted. We do not fight because we try to understand things from the other person’s perspective and value them far too much to keep all our work aside to help them out.

We introverts are just one of the many underappreciated facets in this world, and nevertheless I’m still proud to be an Introvert, because it has taught me to love my own company, take myself out on dates and still care for others as deeply as I would for my own.