An Introvert’s Guide to Adjusting to College

By Sarah Warren on November 18, 2016

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Adjusting to college comes in many forms – learning how and when to do laundry, taking control of your schedule, figuring out how many classes you can handle, and learning to adjust to a new social climate. Social adjustment can be the hardest one of all, particularly if you’re going to school in a new state or a different country. Not only have you been separated from your friends and family, there’s probably a good deal of nuanced cultural and social norms in your new area that you had no idea existed. (My Canadian friend says the South’s obsession with fried chicken is mildly disturbing.)

If you’re an introvert, you “charge up,” so to speak, by being alone, unlike extroverts who get are energized by social interaction. Needing solitude to recharge can make adjusting to college social life hard, particularly if you live with roommates. From one introvert to other, here’s a handy guide for introverts who need help adjusting to college!

1. Find Your Operative Mode of Socializing
Adjusting to college means feeling comfortable on campus and part of that means getting to know some people. A common misconception about introverts is that they don’t want or don’t need to make friends. This isn’t the case – introverts might not be energized by social interaction, but it doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy it! In my experience, an introvert’s best course of action is to find a student group or class in which they’re comfortable and get involved. Whether you’re there because you already know people or love the activity doesn’t matter! What matters is finding a way to get the social interaction we all need in a comfortable environment.

2. Find A Place to Recharge
If your dorm room is anything like mine, it is not the place you want to go for alone time! Roommates can be a great source of fun and conversation, but social interaction can be fun and draining at the same time. If you need alone time to recharge, you’re going to have to actively seek it out. College campuses are crawling with greens, breezeways, and libraries where students can be alone in relative quiet. Some libraries even have “silent floors” for private study. These are great places to take a deep breath and get away from the hustle and bustle of college life.

3. Keep in Touch With Old Friends
Whether your four or fourteen hours away from home, keeping in touch with your folks back home is essential to adjusting to college. This doesn’t just mean your parents. (But do please keep in touch with them – they miss you!) Just because you didn’t end up at the same college or even the same state doesn’t mean you can’t stay close with old friends. Sometimes knowing you’ve got friends who want to hear about your life and see you thrive is enough of a push to get you out there socializing!

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