Do you feel exhausted after social gatherings—like the longer you stay, the more your energy drains? Do you feel like you didn't have a restful weekend if you used your days off to go out with friends? Do you have no fear of talking at people, but you dread talking to people? If any of that sounds familiar, you might be an introvert, someone who prefers to and gets their energy from spending time alone. The opposite is an extrovert, someone recharged by positive social interaction rather than drained from it.
It feels sometimes like the world was designed with extroverts in mind. High schoolers are expected to be excited to go to homecoming and prom. College life is frequently associated with group study, clubs, house parties, fraternities, and sororities. Jobs require networking and collaboration and—it's horrific to even think about it—LinkedIn. Introverts are generally expected to assimilate or be left out of the equation. As such, the third week of March, March 17-23 in 2025, is dedicated to National Introverts Week. There will be no celebrations, parties, or parades; just some helpful strategies for dealing with the world and all its interactions.
Just don't go:
If you're not feeling up to an outing or know you need to conserve your social energy, practice advocating for yourself by saying no. People who care about you will want you to take care of yourself first and foremost. If you think there will be push-back, there's always time for you to "come down with a mysterious and sudden disease" that will magically clear up as soon as the event is over.
It's dangerous to go alone; take this:
If you're really intent on being social, it's important to be prepared. Having a good pair of headphones on hand gives you an escape from uncomfortable noises, such as loud music, crowds, fireworks, etc. Just having them over or in your ears can muffle the sound enough to make a difference and help prolong your social battery. Bringing a small stim, fidget, or comfort item can also help alleviate stress and anxiety.
If it sucks, hit the bricks:
If your social battery dies and you're no longer having fun, it's okay to step away for a bit to recharge or leave. Skip the never-ending round of farewells with an Irish goodbye, leaving a gathering without saying goodbye to anyone or informing anyone. Use the buddy system if you're worried about being impolite or concerning the group. Try to find an assertive friend who can get through the goodbyes for you or a bail-out friend to call you with a scripted emergency and give you an excuse to leave.
Practice self-care—it's cliche, but yes, actually:
Not resting after an exhausting social situation leads to burnout, and you'll find that the enjoyment you do get out of being around people is going to spoil and rot. To keep this from happening, you need to get your proper fill of recharging alone time. Recharging differs from person to person and can be to whatever degree works best for you. If you have a special person who is an exception to your introversion, and you'd like to share space with them while you recharge, that's cool. If you need to avoid all non-emergency texts for 15 hours so you can lie in a dimly lit room, stare at a wall, and veg, that is also cool. Take a nap, run yourself a bath, engage in a solo hobby, crawl into a closet you've padded with blankets and affectionately refer to as your Hobbit Hole, whatever makes you feel like you can be a person again afterward is what you gotta do.
Alone, but not lonely:
Contrary to popular belief, there are many activities you can do without other people, and absolutely no one is going to look at you strangely. Go to a restaurant alone, see a movie by yourself, beat your own high score at the arcade, go enjoy a theme park without debating over which rides to go on (single rider lines move much faster than the normal ones, FYI). It is completely possible to do fun and interesting things with yourself as company.
Practice, unfortunately, makes perfect:
Devastating, I know, but forcing yourself out of your comfort zone and into more social situations can actually make tolerating them much easier in the long run. Don't worry; no one's saying to throw yourself headfirst into a Super Bowl party or the club scene. Start small by joining an online community. There are thousands of servers on sites like Discord that can be filtered by interest, and a lot of those communities are made for and by introverts. Additionally, library programs are a low-stress way to try something new. There's no cost, and you can go alone or bring a friend. If you decide that in-person programs are not for you, you can try something else guilt-free. There are a few programs on Zoom, so you don't have to leave your house to participate in programs from your library. If that sounds worth a try, check out our full events calendar or narrow your search to virtual events.
This book is every working introvert's handbook that they can reference throughout their career for guidance on tricky or draining situations and motivation to enlist the power of their inner introvert to succeed. Learn about how to combat interview anxiety, make meaningful connections at networking events, be heard and noticed at meetings or on the stage, overcome importer syndrome, become an effective leader with your introvert strengths and more!
Introverted Mom: Your Guide to More Calm, Less Guilt, and Quiet Joy by Jamie C. Martin
Introverted mothers face unique challenges. Jamie C. Martin lifts the false burdens and negative stereotypes off your shoulders, letting you know you're not alone. Martin shares vulnerable stories from her own life as well as thoughts from other kindred-spirit moms. Her practical suggestions and creative inspiration, combined with quotes and insights from four well-known introverted writers, point you back toward hope, laughter, and quiet joy.
The Introvert’s Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World by Sophie Dembling
This clever and pithy book challenges introverts to take ownership of their personalities...with quiet strength. Sophia Dembling asserts that the introvert’s lifestyle is not “wrong” or lacking, as society or extroverts would have us believe. Through a combination of personal insights and psychology, The Introvert’s Way helps and encourages introverts to embrace their nature, to respect traits they may have been ashamed of and reframe them as assets.
You’re not shy; rather, you appreciate the joys of quiet. You’re not antisocial; instead, you enjoy recharging through time alone. You’re not unfriendly, but you do find more meaning in one-on-one connections than large gatherings.
By honoring what makes them unique, this astute and inspiring book challenges introverts to “own” their introversion, igniting a quiet revolution that will change how they see themselves and how they engage with the world.
Introvert Doodles: An Illustrated Look at Introvert Life in an Extrovert World by Maureen Wilson
Whoever said there's strength in numbers lied. Meet Marzi. She's an introvert who often finds herself in awkward situations. Marzi used to feel strange about her introverted tendencies. Not anymore! Now she knows that there are tons of introverts out there just like her—introverts who enjoy peace and quiet, need time alone to recharge their battery, and who prefer staying in with their pet and a good book to awkward social interactions. Just like Marzi, these introverts can often be found in libraries, at home watching Netflix, brainstorming excuses to miss your next party, or doodling cute cartoons. Being an introvert in an extrovert world isn't always easy, but it certainly is an adventure. In Introvert Doodles, follow Marzi through all of her most uncomfortable, charming, honest, and hilarious moments that everyone—introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in between—can relate to.