I have always been a quiet person, often blending in the background of a noisy room. People might perceive me as shy, distant, or uninterested, but the truth is that my mind is constantly buzzing with ideas. I’m not silent because I have nothing to say; rather, it’s because I think and observe. I find my energy and strength in these quiet moments when I’m alone with my thoughts.

Introverts are like cameras with limited storage, and social interactions are the photos that fill up the space. They need time to delete and refresh before they can capture more moments.

Extroverts are like power outlets, and people are the devices that plug in to recharge them. The more connections they make, the more energized they feel, constantly drawing strength from the energy around them.

When one thinks about an introvert, the words quiet, shy, antisocial, and social anxiety come to mind. When one thinks about an extrovert, the words talkative, adventurous, loud, too energetic, etc., come to mind. While these can be true, they are just misleading stereotypes.

Stereotypes hinder moments to learn about diverse people. They create boundaries and misconceptions, fostering misunderstandings.

I’m usually quiet during class and big group discussions, but during small group discussions or one-on-one discussions, classmates seem shocked when I have something to say.

According to Healthline, psychologist Carl Jung coined the terms introvert and extrovert in the 1920s. He described introverts as people who easily get drained from social interactions and need time to recharge. Conversely, extroverts get their energy from social interactions and can become anxious when left alone for some time.

I usually keep to myself, not showing my true self to someone until I get to know them. I typically like to observe and listen to others around me, but I will talk if it’s important. I don’t need to fill the silence; it saves me time for internal processing. Once I reach my limit for social interaction, I need time for myself to recharge.

Labeling oneself as introverted, shy, socially anxious, or extroverted can be harmful to one’s mental health by oversimplifying complex behaviors and creating unnecessary limitations.

However, being an introvert is different from being shy or socially anxious. Just because introverts enjoy solitude and being in smaller social settings does not mean they never want to socialize or are incapable of doing so. Shyness refers to feeling nervous and fearful when talking to others, while social anxiety refers to having an extreme fear of social interactions.

Conforming to the behaviors associated with what you placed yourself in can cause one to feel anxiety and inadequacy and limit behavior based on what is associated with that behavior.

For example, when someone is shy, they might avoid personal growth like leadership roles, even if they would like to do it. Someone introverted might avoid social interactions and just keep to themselves, even if they would like to join the conversation. Someone extroverted might feel the need to be social all the time, even though they might not be in the mood.

We should not let labels define our actions; instead, we should use them to help us better understand ourselves and others.

I, myself, am a victim of this. On days when I would like to join social events, I hesitate because I feel like I’m not acting the way an introvert is expected to behave.

Like political affiliations, introverts and extroverts fall on a spectrum. Each introverted and extroverted person differs from their respective peers.

Some are extremely introverted or extroverted; most people fall into the middle category, which is an ambivert in which people are both introverted and extroverted, and depending on their situation, they will lean towards one side more.

One introverted person can easily get out of their comfort zone, but for another, it will take time for them to do so.

Being an introvert or an extrovert does not define one’s capabilities. Both can be social, leaders, creative, imaginative, etc.; there is not a rule book that says exactly what is expected of you if you identify as an introvert or extrovert. Be yourself, and don’t let a label dictate you.