Raise your hand if you’re an introvert and find yourself struggling in college. I 100% understand and I’m right there with you.

College is advertised as “the best four years of your life.” There’s freedom, no parents, no rules, and tons and tons of parties. It sounds like the best place on earth… if you’re an extrovert. But where does that leave the introvert?

The stories of introverts, I’ve found, can get tossed to the side in our extrovert-praising culture. Believe it or not, us introverts have a lot to say. So today, I’m sharing the good and bad aspects of being an introvert in college. Extroverts, all I ask is that you listen.

Disclaimer: I cannot speak to the experience of every introvert. We’re all different, after all. These are my personal experiences as an introvert in college.

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The Hardest Part About Being an Introvert in College

The hardest part about being an introvert in college is definitely the pressure to socialize. College can feel like a place where you are supposed to socialize 24/7.

Think about the stories you’ve heard about college: People easily make friends at New Students Orientation. Friends are attached at the hip all the time. Roommates are best friends. People are going out every weekend.

This pressure to be social can be overstimulating to anyone, but especially to introverts. Being in a social setting is one of the most nerve-racking things in the world for me, especially in new and unfamiliar situations. I’m wondering if people will accept me for who I am. Or if they will ask me a billion questions. Or if they’ll think I’m weird because I’m not speaking much. These thoughts are constantly running through my head and it’s a lot to handle.