Like Rory, my social behaviour at school was frowned upon.

After being in class with the same groups of kids all day, I chose to spend my breaks by myself, reading, journaling, or even doing homework. Throughout my entire childhood, I accepted this as weird. Nerdy. Socially awkward. Insert negative connotation here.

Lunch? Check.

Book? Check.

Headphones? Check.

So for most of my life, I believed that I was abnormal and anti-social.

Then at university I found myself connecting with so many amazing people. My lunch calendar filled up with 1:1 appointments with these people. I would spend my mornings in the library, meet a friend for lunch, then dive back into my work in the afternoon. And it worked.

It took me a while to realise that introverts have different social needs.

Being an introvert means that I recharge best by myself, while extraverts recharge best around others. It doesn’t mean I’m a social anomaly. It does mean that I spend time differently with people than may seem ‘normal’ – which is silly, since at least half the population are introverts like me!

How to Socialise as an Introvert:

Lunchtime reading/walkman-listening club, anyone?

P.S. Another alternative form of socialising that I swear by