Dear Society, Don't Force An Introvert To Socialise At Every Gathering But Respect Their Personal Space.

You know you are an introvert when you fear mingling with people. This may not hold true at all times but in most cases, you prefer being by your self. What's challenging for us is to put up a fabricated smile and greet others with pleasure. Growing up, I have come to realise that socialising is just not my thing. While I can go on talking for hours with everyone I am close to, I fumble for words when I speak to someone I barely know. Such a situation arises at family gatherings, wedding parties or at a distant relative's house.

An Introvert Is Selectively Social

I don't know why we fail to respect the comfort zone of introverts.  Yes, we choose to be away from people. That doesn't make us antisocial but selectively social. We have a small group of friends but trust me, they are the most loyal lot. You don't need to have too many friends if you find  few good ones. This is what an introvert believes in. Don't make us feel uncomfortable and awkward by forcing us to socialise at all gatherings and with every new person you introduce us to.

As an introvert, I never participated in too many competitions or programs at school because I feared having to face a swarm of audience. Just for your information, it's okay. Stop demotivating introverts for being nervous and suffering from stage fear. Participating in extra curricular activities is not so easy for us as it is for you. This might sound weird but we love having long conversations with ourselves and addressing a large audience is not our cup of tea.

Also Read: Here’s Why Being An Introvert Comes As A Blessing

We come out of the shell slowly

I remember interacting with very few people in the real and virtual world. In the last few months, I built an unbreakable bond with my phone and social media handles. The one and only reason behind this is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The nationwide lockdown compelled us to stay home and spend time doing what we love. With ample free time, I began exploring things I had never had the opportunity to. One such thing being online friendship.

I was a person who never believed in befriending strangers and replying to their messages. My introvert self always created boundaries I couldn't cross. I feared being friends with people I have never met. My perception about social media friendships was a very negative one. For years, I kept myself secluded from the people hailing from the online world. However, my idea of virtual friendships is different now.

It took me some time to come out of the shell I had created around myself and finally open up to people apart from the ones I personally know. I started talking to a few people I met online and surprisingly, it culminated into a strong friendship. Luckily enough, I found some really amazing people I can trust.  You know it's important to be careful while making friends on the internet.

This was all about my experience as an introvert. Feel free to share your journey. Are you forced to socialise at all get togethers? What are the most common things you get to hear? How do you deal with people and their taunts?

Views expressed are author's own

Also Read: When Social Distancing Becomes Mainstream: An Introvert Weighs In