Today I went to new student orientation at my school and met Peter Smith, a man from the UK. When he asked me if there was anything which made me nervous about the social work program I was about to undertake, I thought about it for a minute and said, "Social awkwardness." He seemed surprised so I elaborated, "I'm anxious about being socially awkward around people." He replied with, "Hey, you came up and started talking to me."
That's when it struck me--I'm outgoing. Or, at least I seem to be. Matthew often said the same thing, "You know, you're really very social." Or friendly, he sometimes says. My friend Charmell also called me outgoing although my friend CJ said that I was shy. "You seem introverted," he commented once. So which is it? Shy? Friendly? introverted? Outgoing? Maybe all of them. I've learned from years of being a psychology major that there are many facets to human personality and believe it or not, some people really DO change their personality over time. Or maybe I've just grown more confident as I've gotten older.
I still become socially anxious from time to time, but it's nowhere near as crippling as when I was a child. I'm much more impulsive now. If I see a person I want to talk to, I just go up and say hi.I suppose Whatever happened to the self-consciousness of teenager-hood? Maybe I just grew out of it. Maybe it just went away with time.
Besides, I tell myself, they're just people. What harm can they do me?
"I was born in 1958," says Peter.
"Well...you're younger than my dad," I say, as way of meek consolation.
[pause]
"I'm going to smack you."
Then again, maybe not. :)
That's when it struck me--I'm outgoing. Or, at least I seem to be. Matthew often said the same thing, "You know, you're really very social." Or friendly, he sometimes says. My friend Charmell also called me outgoing although my friend CJ said that I was shy. "You seem introverted," he commented once. So which is it? Shy? Friendly? introverted? Outgoing? Maybe all of them. I've learned from years of being a psychology major that there are many facets to human personality and believe it or not, some people really DO change their personality over time. Or maybe I've just grown more confident as I've gotten older.
I still become socially anxious from time to time, but it's nowhere near as crippling as when I was a child. I'm much more impulsive now. If I see a person I want to talk to, I just go up and say hi.I suppose Whatever happened to the self-consciousness of teenager-hood? Maybe I just grew out of it. Maybe it just went away with time.
Besides, I tell myself, they're just people. What harm can they do me?
"I was born in 1958," says Peter.
"Well...you're younger than my dad," I say, as way of meek consolation.
[pause]
"I'm going to smack you."
Then again, maybe not. :)
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