Introverts living under extrovert ideals are like women in a man’s world – discounted because of a trait that goes to the core of who they are
Sitting in the college activity lounge, earphones snugly plugged in, perched on the corner-most table – that’s me. Does this give you an image of seclusion? Well, then you are on the right track. I am one of those people – an introvert. ‘Shy?’ ‘Standoffish?’ ‘Quiet?’ You must be thinking, “Wow, another one of those kinds! Can’t make a proper conversation, talks about the weather! Suffers from a small attention span and often gives the lazy eye! She’s better off alone, I guess!” Well, that’s how most people think and that’s how introverts get pushed to the corner.
It’s estimated that roughly 75% of people are extroverts, and hence, it is indeed an extroverts’ world. Introverts living under extrovert ideals are like women in a man’s world – discounted because of a trait that goes to the core of who they are. Sometimes, I really wonder what it would be like to be an extrovert – to be comfortable in crowds, to speak extemporaneously with charisma that would come easy; to not only type an exclamation mark at the end of a sentence in hope of conveying enthusiasm and ultra-sincerity, but to live those exclamation marks!
Watching fellow classmates give stellar presentations, while chewing off the end of an entire pencil in fear of my own turn – that was me throughout the first year of college. I had been more confident in school, but being at SCMC was a whole different ball game as this was a mixed bag of confident and talented people. Even the utterance of the phrase, “Get into groups!” was terrifying. You must be wondering, what I was doing in a mass communication college at all then. In answer to that, I have always pictured myself as one of those, sitting behind a laptop, typing away, and hoping that those words communicate and connect with people everywhere. That’s mass communication too, right?
Watching our professor for Business Communication ace every lecture has been a big lesson in understanding how extroverts work. Multiple events, field trips and a number of classes also leave a lot of room for observation of how extroverts function. Once you learn to see the imperfections under the pretense of perfection, the world doesn’t intimidate you as much.
So, after first three semesters in this college, I can’t say that I have been transformed into an extrovert but I can say that I am more confident around extroverts and deal better with them. I still get nervous before a presentation but I now have the courage to perform in spite of the fear. I still sit alone in a corner, but that’s just a way of charging my creative cells. Extroverts will always be in majority but that doesn’t make introverts, like me, any less valuable.
Written By: Imana Bhattacharya (Batch of 2019)
Photograph By: Imana Bhattacharya (Batch of 2019)
