A World Flipped on Its Head

When I was in high school, a teacher instructed us to take a personality test to determine whether we were introverted or extroverted.

An introvert, by definition, is characterized by a person who is “shy, reticent; a person predominantly concerned by their own thoughts and feelings rather than with external things.” Synonyms include: “withdrawn, timid, meek, unsociable.” The opposite of an introverted person is an extroverted person. An extrovert, by definition, is “an outgoing, overtly expressive person; a person predominantly concerned with external things or objective considerations.” Synonyms include: “life and soul of the party; party animal; social butterfly.” You tell me which one you’d rather be.

These definitions, found on Google, are fairly biased in favor of extroverts. The connotation of introversion is negative—I’d even go as far as to say fun-hating—while the description of extroversion is much more positive. Extroverts are described as fun-loving and carefree.

Because of the negative way introverts are characterized, I was disappointed to discover—through the test that day, and since through life experience—that I am an introvert. I’d never thought of myself as an unsociable person, even though I had been called shy at times. The personality test we took seemed to have the same notions about introverts as Google. It made introverts seem moody and self-obsessed.

After we took the test, my teacher told us, “Life is hard for introverts, because you are forced to live in an extrovert’s world.” I had to agree with him.

Before COVID-19, our world was indeed an extrovert’s world. The drastic rise in social media use throughout the early 2000s made it possible to get FOMO anytime, anywhere. If you weren’t constantly hanging out with other people, you felt bad about it. Studies, such as those cited by Rodney Lawn at The Centre for Positive Psychology, stated that “extraverted individuals tend to experience higher levels of happiness than do those who are introverted.” Psychology Today explained Lawn's conclusions, saying that introverts tend to become unhappy because they, unlike extroverts, are not comfortable in the spotlight.

Our world has flipped due to COVID-19’s impact on person-to-person interaction. Millions of people have been forced to stay home. Some are still working remotely, and some are not. The U.S., and much of the world, has started to reopen in phases to save the economy. Many people are fed up with social distancing, and have begun to socialize. However, the World Health Organization warned that the world is in a “new and dangerous phase” due to the virus’ acceleration and the continued pushback against social distancing.

Many universities adapted with distanced classes and rotations. Most students have taken the majority of their classes online. In the Fall 2020 semester, Boston University implemented a program called LfA: Learn from Anywhere, in which students can attend class from home or from a residence hall. The new normal, believe it or not, might be an ideal world for introverts.

Noting the switch to an introvert’s world and its potential upsides is not to say that I support COVID-19 or the devastating effects it has had on the global population. Many are lonely and isolated. Plans have been canceled, streets are empty, and masks cover everyone’s expressions. In this new world, people have been forced to navigate life differently.

Through my school, I have had the privilege of attending multiple Zoom lectures with industry professionals in the communications field, and during these lectures I’ve heard about potential benefits to the changes to the structure of the workplace. One said that he thinks this will change the way we work permanently. Before COVID, he said, he was flying across the country for meetings. Now, all he has to do is sit down in front of his computer. It’s quite possible that companies will realize the cost-saving and time-saving benefits of virtual connection and will adapt accordingly by limiting the amount of employee travel in the future. Another industry professional said that since he’s been removed from the corporate world, he’s had time to find exactly what kind of schedule makes him most productive. To his surprise, he found that if he takes a break from work to relax and watch a show, he can go back to work and get through it twice as fast as he could if he hadn’t taken a break. People are learning the ways in which they work best because they have time to prioritize themselves.

A photojournalism professor said that during quarantine, his students produced some of the most interesting and introspective work he’s had yet to see. I believe that this may be yet another effect of the social distancing—people have been afforded time to be reflective, and the product of that reflection is new, introspective work.

During this era of limited social interaction, I’ve had time to focus on my own introspective work. I’ve worked on creative projects that I’d pushed aside before, because I felt like I didn’t have the time. I’ve been able to reconnect with myself and my family. I’ve had more time to look after my mental health with things like healthy eating and yoga. I’ve also been afforded a little more time to watch my brothers grow up and form connections with them as they do. And, of course, I can finally be fully true to my self-reflective nature as an introvert, which I’ve achieved through journaling and writing.

I acknowledge that, as an introvert, I get my energy from spending time away from other people. There’s a part of me that enjoys virtually meeting with others because it’s not as much of an event. I still feel included and connected without feeling fully drained. This isn’t to say that I don’t enjoy socializing; it’s an important part of my life. Safety permitting, I always try to make time to see those who matter to me. But in the past year, the constant pressure to interact with other people has been lifted.

The new normal has been scary and lonely for many. But—like the definition of introvert—it’s possible that a silver lining can be found.

By Cristina Thorson

Film & TV major with a passion for reading, writing, yoga, and cats.