Am I an introvert or an extrovert? And what the heck is an ambivert?!
There are many introverted and extroverted people everywhere. My mom is an introvert while my dad and sister are extroverts. I, however, don’t think I fit into either category. Like introverts, I like my alone time, but like extroverts, I like hanging out with my friends. I feel energized either way I choose to spend my time. To be honest though, the way I described both sides may not be the most accurate. Am I an introvert or an extrovert? I need to understand both sides in order to better understand which one I am.
Introverts are, at first glance, quiet people who like to be alone. That, however, isn’t always true. While that is a common characteristic, introverts are simply defined as people who use up their energy when socializing and need to be alone in order to recharge. When they’re with, for example, a crowd of people, they’ll get tired more quickly and this can lead to stress. An introvert could be just fine being with their friends for a long time, but before they hang out again, they’ll want some time to themselves first.
Extroverts are the complete opposite of introverts. People usually think they’re very outgoing people who are always around folk. Well, not all extroverts act the same, like my sister for example. Extroverts are defined as individuals who gather energy when they’re around other people. When they’re alone, on the other hand, they might feel restless or antsy from the lack of engagement. An extrovert will want to hang out with their friends as much as possible, but once they’re alone, they’ll crave more social interaction and might become tired or stressed.
The term “ambivert” isn’t used as much as introvert or extrovert, but it’s still an important personality trait to acknowledge. Ambiverts are a middle ground of the two types of people. One thing to note is that they aren’t necessarily fifty-fifty one way or another. They could be a little more introverted than extroverted or vice versa. Perhaps it’s not a common term since most of us display both introvert and extrovert traits. For example, some traits of an ambivert includes:
- Flexibility in social situations
- Good listeners and communicators
- Comfortable in various settings
- Adaptability by being able to adjust their level of social interaction
Be yourself, everyone else is taken: Isn’t it amazing how three words can describe the way different people interact with each other in social and private settings? Not only that, but not all introverts and extroverts act how most people think. On one hand, an introverted friend of mine is the life of the party. On the other hand, my extroverted sister needs to learn to be more assertive in certain situations.
Now that I’m beginning to understand what it means to be an introvert, an extrovert, and (additionally) an ambivert, I can finally answer that question I posed in the beginning: I am an ambivert!
Which one of the three are you?
Mizuki Wong is a 10th grader at Mountainside High School. In their free time, they enjoy drawing, animating on YouTube, listening to music and learning about science.
