For most of my life, I had been the definition of an introvert. I was afraid of anything unfamiliar. The thought of meeting strangers would make me cringe. In the first grade, I cried for the entire year. I cried walking to school, and I sobbed on the way home. When my parents sent me away for junior high, I clutched on to my sister’s sleeves as if I were being sent away forever. Then one day, I changed. Perhaps I was sick of being the shy little girl always hiding behind others’ back, but I decided to do something different. I volunteered to host school assemblies, acted in dramas, and decided to study abroad to America. I suddenly had a new outlook on life.
Reflecting on my experiences, I am who I am today because I forced myself to break
At the very first day she would pack out her suitcase which was full of books and this seemed very normal to her, as in her family, reading was a “different way of being social“. Very quickly she got confronted with some adjectives often used in relation to introversion: mellow, shy and not very outgoing. At this point she felt guilty leaving her books in her suitcase but she begun thinking more deeply about why extroversion is being so prized in contrast to introversion, that is considered to be something negative. She affirms that this is partly a consequence of our education system and also of our cultural
In her article Shyness: Evolutionary Tactic? author Susan Cain addresses many of the preconceived notions society has against introverted people. Cain argues that society tends to favor the outgoing and extroverted and shames those who prefer to be alone rather than socialize. The author utilizes certain writing strategies as a way to change her audience’s original views surrounding introversion. Cain’s use of comparing and contrasting, specific examples, and strong transitions that bridge various ideas to each other make her argument, that introverts are essential to society, much more persuasive.
Susan Cain’s “Power of Introverts” talk was all about the importance of people who are considered introvertly inclined in our society. In her talk, she described first how her family influenced her in being an introvert. Reading is her family’s social activity and that one can roam around through his or her own imagination. She also discussed about her memorable summer camp story where she has discovered the way extrovert people live and tried to shift in this kind of life. With all these changes in her life she never left her introverted life and espoused the ideas that when it comes to creativity and leadership, the society needs introverts and the things where they excel most. She explained that introversion is how one responds to stimulation including social stimulation which is different from a person being shy – the fear of social judgment.
Since I was young, there was a communication barrier that existed between me and the outside world. My shyness led me to many downfalls on my academic side. Not understanding a topic would mean that I would never be able to clarify any questions that were on my mind. Until around 6th grade, I always considered myself introverted; I had the inability to blend in with strangers, peers and teachers.
Since coming to America, I have moved to an ample amount of places because my father’s job concerns. I changed school frequently and in each new school I was never greeted with a warm welcome. With one glance my classmates saw I was different from them. I was often bullied and teased because of my racial difference from my classmates, from these experiences I became a quiet and docile girl. This way I thought I would not get in anyone’s way. I had closed up in the world in front of me; I never expressed my own opinions and always agreed with the majority. However secretly inside of me, I was frustrated not being able to express myself and yet I was unable to change. I craved to be what I was in the inside to be on the outside. Still by
Throughout my teenage years, I was the embodiment of the average introvert. The pressure to succeed and become a first generation college student in my family was overwhelming, and the constant battle of not being good enough defeated me. My parents only spoke Spanish, and were unable to help me with my school assignments. As I struggled with my academics silently, my self-consciousness and insecurities grew. The fear of speaking out in public was a lingering shadow that developed more, as I grew older. Being that English was my second language, I had always felt inferior to those who spoke English as their primary language.
When people hear the word introvert, they usually think of someone who is quiet, shy and keeps to themselves. The word introvert generally has a negative connotation associated with it, but Susan Cain argues in a Ted talk called “The power of introverts” that being an introvert is actually a good thing. In her argument, Cain uses ethos, logos, and pathos to appeal to her audience and this essay will analyze how she does so.
“Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.” (Jerry Seinfeld) Most people don’t know what life will bring or what road they will have to travel until that time comes. George never knew the only way he could save his best friend would be to kill him and Hamlet never knew he would die from being poisoned by my uncle and friend. All the trails and tribulations that you encounter are only to make you better person even if it’s bad. Personally I have been through a lot in 16 years. Some good and some bad but at the end it made me the young last that I am today. Your life experiences only prepare you for the real word. Three life experiences that made me who I am are Death of my uncle, my mom being ill and the switching of
To illustrate how introverts are discouraged from expressing themselves she tells an anecdote of her time at summer camp when she was young. She said instead of being able to read her books at summer camp, she was asked
Being the embodiment of the average introvert hardly lessened the pressure of becoming successful. Growing up in a household, where I would be the first generation in my family to attend college brought challenges of their own. It was not until freshman year of college that I realized how problematic my shyness and introversion would be. At Monmouth University, I was fortunate enough to be accepted in the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program along with 39 other students. After the program had ended, I realized my reclusive personality came with a high price. During the concluding ceremony, the student participants were recognized for their hard work and accomplishments. When my name was called, I heard someone whisper, “Who?” “I don’t know,” another student murmured back. It did not occur to me that these students whom I shared the summer with had no idea who I was. That night, I kept reliving what those students said in my head. My refusal to publicly participate had limited my visibility to peers, and had exposed my restricted social abilities.
The question “who am I”? Can have a lot of individuals thinking about themselves, including myself because one might not know where to start. It is a very broad question, but having done the Strengths Finder 2.0 assessment, I realized more in depth what kind of person I really am based on my top 5 strengths. Who I am as a learner, who I am in my career and who I am as a person of faith lead me to answering the question above and understanding more of myself within.
A person’s life is a journey filled with bumps, detours and dead-ends while the route is shaped by the people, places and experiences that litter the path. It does not matter if a person graces your life for a moment or for a lifetime, each one helps guide our destination by helping define who we are and who we will become. These relationships bring us the many tools that we will need along the way. My parents and friends have given me great roadside assistance by teaching many ethical principles. Because of them, honesty and acceptance are two core values of mine that will be tremendous assets in a future business career.
There’s a lot we can learn from the stories of our past – if we tell them in such way that enables us to hear what they really have to say. This holds true with me and my life. To put it simply, the life I’ve lived up to this point has been nothing short of a beautiful (and bumpy) roller coaster ride! As I have grown up there have been many factors that have influenced me to take on or do certain things. These things, plus some of my individual choices, have contributed into what’s made me who I am today. And with that, I’m happy to say for this moment in time, I’m satisfied with the person I am and the path I’m taking.
According to many psychologists and other social experts, there exist two major social behaviors that are widely adopted globally by a person as they mature into young adulthood: extraversion or introversion. Extroverts are expressive individuals who appear to be energized and enjoy seeking activities that involve socialization with others where as a reserved individual (introvert) prefers solitary pursuits where he or she often partakes in a favorite pastime. In her novel Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life is Your Hidden Strength, Laurie Helgoe statistically explores the fact that more than one half of the American populace claims to be reticent and encourages those folks to embrace their natural selves (“Book Details” 1). Introverts
When I look in the mirror I know whom I am, but society makes it difficult to understand who I am, because I was born to immigrants of Nigerian descent, and I am a first generation American, that term is sometimes used so loosely. By looking at my name they assume that I am from some island, but I am so quick to tell them that “I am Nigerian”, there is another statement that normally follows this. “You do not have an accent”. I wonder if I had an accent would I be considered Nigerian and not American; then I say that “My parents are Nigerian” and then that changes, so to them I am just associated with the Nigerian culture it does not make me Nigerian, there has been many discussion between my friends who are the same like me confused to