An average college experience usually involves joining as many clubs and organizations as you can, going to all the campus events, and even hitting up all the latest parties all while making as many new friends as possible. This is the experience most people would imagine for every student, but for an introvert who is normally withdrawn and quiet has different experiences and struggles they face in college. An outside eye might not know how an introverted student struggles to speak up in class, or build up the courage to go to an event by themselves and meet new people. Two students who are introverted themselves, take us through their college experience and how they survive in a place that forces you out of your comfort zone.
Harmoni Garret, a general studies major starts off by describing what being an introvert to her feels like. “I get very nervous around people I don’t know, literally every friend I have, has been introduced to me, I am not the kind of person that just walks up to somebody and just start chit chatting.” Garrett even says how if someone were to walk up to her she usually has no idea what to say.
On the other hand Dejuan Monroe, another general studies major, and also a close friend of Garrett, describes being an introvert as just chill and not wanting to do much.
Unfortunately, no matter how much they’d like to chill and stay home or avoid being around people, this is college and going to class cannot be avoided. We all have our own ways for getting mentally prepared for the day but what does that look like for these two introverted students ?
“I talk to myself a lot.” Garrett says. Garrett says how she practices conversations before they happen, like if she knows she needs to talk to a professor about something that day, she sits in her room and practices what she wants to say. Garrett even says how for certain classes she feels the need to spend extra time on her appearance. “It’s just the environment, you can walk in and everybody turns their head to look at you, it’s like a classroom filled with judgmental eyes.”
While Garrett worries about what others might think, Monroe says he just wakes up and goes with no mental preparation needed. “If a problem arises I just, push through it.” Monroe gives his speech class for example. “I have to get up there and talk in front of people.” Which Monroe describes as “Horrible.”
The biggest challenge for any introvert is most likely making friends and Garret is no exception. She explains how as time goes by she has slowly started to realize she really doesn’t have friends, especially after her closest friends have left Langston. “I have a lot of associates but it’s hard to make friends, like people that you could talk to everyday.”
Many people say that joining clubs and organizations can help with making friends but Garrett says, “It depends on the type of person you are, because as an introvert I’ve gone and done things that people said would help me make friends and then it don’t… because being in an organization doesn’t change the fact that I’m shy and quiet around people I don’t know, so… that doesn’t really do anything for me.”
As for Monroe his biggest challenge is coming to the cafeteria which is normally filled with many students and music. “It be too loud in there.”
Although Garrett sounds like she isn’t much of a people person the only events that get her out of her dorm are, surprisingly, the Parties and Garrett drags Monroe right along with her. Garrett explains how having her small circle of friends around her allows her to not pay attention to anyone else at these events.
Even though Monroe gets dragged to these parties most of the time he says, “It’s not enough for me to be like, oh let me get up out of my bed. Unless I’m making some money I don’t really want to go.” If the event has no free food or money, Monroe is not going willingly.
As introverts balancing social life and alone time is a struggle and Garrett says she finds it hard to balance. When she finds herself needing that alone time she often ghosts people. “When I need alone time, I just… bye, I’m gone, so I don’t balance it well at all.”
On the contrary Monroe says, “Most of my time is alone time.” So finding that balance isn’t hard for Monroe.
As we come to a close Garrett and Monroe share some words of advice they have learned from their own college experience, for another introvert who might be having a hard time making friends and getting out of their comfort zone,
Garrett says, “Just be yourself and stop worrying about what others have to say and people will appreciate you for you.” Monroe says starting with your roommates can give someone a head start on making friends in college.
As an introvert coming to college might seem like stepping into a lions den but from experience, I can say it’s not as bad as one might think. On this campus filled with many different people with varying personalities, there is always someone for everyone.
