Faculty: For the assignment, you have to make a team and collaborate with them to prepare a presentation and present it in front of the class.
Random introvert: (whispering inside) Not another presentation! How can I manage a team right now and speak in front of the whole class? It’s like a nightmare for me!
I think every introverted student has these thoughts when it comes to group work or presenting something in front of the whole class.
So what does introversion mean? It basically represents a personality trait of people who are mostly quiet and shy and prefer to spend time alone rather than being with people around them.
The matter of fact is, university is not a place for just getting enrolled into particular courses, joining classes and earning a degree. It’s more than that. University helps students develop their thoughts, meet with a diversified group of people and create a monumental remembrance of a lifetime.
Despite having a lot of hidden talents and potential, an introverted student might find it difficult to cope with the vibrant atmosphere of the university, where extroverted students are always at the head of the table and lead almost everything with popularity and fame.
Does it mean that university is a tough place for introverts? It might be so, but that does not always have to be the case. With some strategies and tricks, an introvert can flourish in their university life as well.
Let us look at some of the key strategies to follow:
Find a mentor: It’s good for an introvert to seek out a mentor to share goals, values, and interests while showing respect for your personality and moral values. Mentors can be teachers, seniors, or even friends who motivate you.
Joining club and forums: Clubs and forums are great places to meet new people who have the same interests as you. For instance, if you love sports, you can join the sports club; if you are a book lover, you can join the book reading society, etc.
Make a close group of friends: University is not a place to walk like a lone wolf. You need your friends around you to help you out in academic activities, group work, or other activities. Not only in academics you also need people you can share anything without hesitation, and have some fun with so that you won’t feel like missing out.
Work on your own skill set: Every individual has their own skill set and talent. For instance, someone is good at artwork, writing, singing, sports, or anything else. Mastering these talents will strengthen your confidence and give you the opportunity to showcase these skills to a larger audience during events or gatherings.
Break out from the comfort zone: Apart from every fact that is illustrated in this article, the most important thing is breaking out of your comfort zone. Yes, it’s true that getting out of your comfort zone is not as easy as you think, but you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable to take yourself to the next level. You don’t have to become a social butterfly but building long-standing connections with people always helps.
For introverts, some of the key aspects of breaking out of their comfort zone are speaking up, trying to at least tolerate gatherings, not shy away from public speaking opportunities, and being yourself.
In the end, it doesn’t mean that being introverted means you are not capable of doing great. You are blessed with your unique persona and power. Don’t hesitate, just be yourself, as Susan Cain said in her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking:
“Don’t think of introversion as something that needs to be cured.”