Tips for the Introverted College Student

Hey yall!

Welcome back to Drifting Around Campus where I feature different bloggers and college students from all around the globe and share their experiences, stories, and tips to help you conquer college! If you would love to join this series and be a guest on My Drifting Desk you can click here!

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Today’s guest is Brain and he is sharing his experiences and tips for surviving college as in introvert. So if you’ve been struggling with this, or know of someone who has been struggling please share!

Hello everyone! My name is Brian and I am working towards my bachelor of science degree in mathematics at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. I have a great passion in studying and writing. I am also a big fan of sports ,(football, wrestling, and extreme sports), though I only watch! The only games I like playing are mind games-especially chess.

I am an introvert. I like people, though sometimes I get extreme anxiety in social gatherings. I am still a student of self development. I recently started my blog so I can share my opinions and stories with everyone. Feel free to check it or you can even contact me for any inquiry!

Read more about one of my experiences in college being an introvert + my 5 tips to help introverts like me conquer college!

Introverts and extroverts. What comes in your mind when you hear these two words? Well, just keep your answer in your head.

Recently I entered a class 2 minutes to lecture time. Everyone was seated but the lecturer wasn’t in. You know how campus life involves many social situations? Even in classes, some students will arrive 1 hour early for many reasons-to sit in front, not miss a seat, chat with friends…When the lecturer doesn’t turn up, the latter will take over events. You will hear many questions like “How have you been?” “How was the game?” “How did you met your girlfriend?” just to name a few.

I just realized how such (many) questions can be irritating, at least to an introvert, like me. Introverts prefer to keep things to themselves. Such experiences will cause most introvert students will start avoiding social events, friends and the “sweet side of campus”.

The idea of an introverted student can be seen as a weird concept to those whoa re extroverted. To others, it is a personality and character trait that you must know how to live with.

Now, back to my story. A course mate shouted “You must greet people. No way you can just sit without greeting us.” Students started laughing. “How will you know what we were doing?” To him and most people, there’s no problem with this, but to me I couldn’t just shout or answer everything and anything in this kind of situation.

What would you have done? I kept quiet and sat on my chair. I just ignored it entirely.

I am a third year now. I’ve successfully survived my former years with my character. Many students try to fit into the life of extroverts when they are not extroverts. Doing this will just frustrate you and drain your happiness and you will soon not even understand who you are.

I know it is hard to go through college as an introvert, but I wanted to share some successful tips to help you overcome these challenges!

1. Don’t Hide

You need sufficient time for yourself. You need time to sleep, complete assignments, meditate etc. but this doesn’t mean that you need to lock yourself in your room. If you close the door, chances are you will suffer from loneliness and isolation. Imagine there is someone outside your room like you. Go out and meet them, you will build beautiful friendships that will last a lifetime.

2. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

You’re beautifully made. You’re worthy. There’s something unique about you. Learn to appreciate yourself and all of those quirks that make you, you! If your friends or roommates have that extroverted way of life and you find that you are the complete opposite don’t think that you have or are a big problem. If you can’t do what they can, that’s okay. Because I bet you, there is something you can do that they can’t. Just embrace and learn about yourself and all that you can do!

3. Participate in Volunteer Activities

Volunteer activities can involve many things. There are community projects, church projects, school club projects etc. that you can get involved in. If your class or club is attending a certain volunteer activity like a hospital visit or orphanage visit, I highly suggest you go because you will end up learning more than you may think, including things about yourself. You will make friends, and you won’t spend another day locked in your room. People will always appreciate a volunteer.

4. Learn at Your Own Pace

By now you should understand kind of how you work and function. Know what is good for you and what you want to achieve. As a student you will meet many people on campus, and come across many things. Of course, you will want to learn about all of these things. But always remember to take your time and learn at your own pace. Don’t feel pressured to do things a certain way because others are doing those things. The wise say ” You came alone, you will leave alone.” So don’t force yourself to do something that will not help you in the long run.

5. Get Organized, Set Goals, & Reach Them!

You are a student, it doesn’t matter what kind, but all students should be organized. Set realistic goals for yourself and learn to manage your time well. College can be stressful with everything you are expected to do, so just learn how to manage them all without losing yourself in the hustle and bustle of it all. Don’t lose sight of your main goal. A good thing to do is to keep a diary or journal to trace what you are doing, thinking, saying, and contemplating from day to day. Most of all, always remember to work hard to achieve those dreams that brought you here-regardless of your character.

Finally, being an introvert is just a personality thing, just like being an extrovert. Learn to use your character to your advantage and accept who you are. I wish you a happy college life and never let your personality blind you from achieving your goals! Never lose sight of an antelope for a dashing squirrel.

You can always contact me on my blog or follow me on twitter.

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I hope you found Brian’s experiences and tips helpful for conquering college as an introvert! If you did please share it with someone you know who may need some help as well!

Join us next time for our next guest on Drifting Around Campus!

♥ Marissa