Quarantine: An Introvert’s Worst Nightmare

As a self-proclaimed introvert, I assumed that I would have an easy, enjoyable time being quarantined.

And for the first week, I did. I slept in, caught up on my favorite shows, danced to 70’s soft rock that flowed from my record player and simply basked in that glory that is me, myself and I.

Alone and inside my home was where I’d always felt most comfortable and if this were to be my new reality for the next couple months, then I’d be set.

But then the phone calls started trickling in. First there were calls from my family; my mom and grandma wanted to check in with me as did I with them. Then I planned specific days of the week for conversations with my best friend to make sure that we both weren’t going crazy while unable to see each other.

But after that, it was like a flood — the calls didn’t stop. I had another friend who’d recently gotten laid off and while I wanted to be there for her, I was still working from home and wasn’t able to or up for talking each day. One of my high school buddies started calling because as a teacher’s assistant, she had an extended spring break and more free time than she could handle. Another family friend, who I’d last seen when I was 11, started calling three to four times a week to talk about her new boyfriend that she couldn’t see considering the circumstances.

And suddenly, my alone time was nonexistent.

I felt like I was being pulled in so many different directions that I was forcing myself to find ‘me time’ in the slower moments of my workday when I could take off my headset, face away from my laptop and just breathe. The problem was that my friends knew my work schedule, so the moment my shift ended, my phone would be buzzing.

Don’t get me wrong, I love chatting with my friends and family, but the demand became too high. If I didn’t answer a phone call one day, the next day I’d get two. I quickly became the go to person for my friends and family to turn to for entertainment and frequent mental health checks.

I know that this all sounds so “I’m so interesting and popular, why won’t anyone leave me alone?” but this was uncharted territory for me.

Truth be told, I’ve never been a popular person and I’ve always kept my circle small. At different stages in my life, I’ve managed to have one best friend that I kept close while my other friends were kept at bay. I’ve always known what I can handle and multiple people at once has never been my specialty.

The sheer volume of phone calls, virtual happy hours with coworkers and hours-long conversations were starting to infringe on my own time and affect my sanity.

I don’t always know if my lack of experience in social settings filled with throngs of people is playing a part in my distress now, but I do know that this is far more social interaction than I’m used to.

This is realistically one of the most difficult times for any introvert to actually be an introvert. You’d think that it would be quite the opposite as we’re all stuck inside our home where typically, we introverts thrive, but that’s simply not the case.

Here’s why:

An Introvert with Access to Technology + Quarantine = An Introvert’s Worst Nightmare

Nowadays, we have access to more communication and connection platforms now than ever before. If we so much as have a smartphone, we likely can be reached via Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Duo, a good old-fashioned phone call, text message, email, Zoom chats, and the ever-beloved impromptu video call.

And the worst part? We have no excuse for not answering. We have no where to go, no built-in excuse like, “Oh, sorry, I wasn’t home, my phone died and didn’t get home to charge it until the next day.” That won’t fly because we have to be home, and everyone knows it.

The only viable solution? The truth.

If this quarantine has taught me anything, it’s taught me that honesty and open communication is key. I hadn’t realized how often I was conjuring up some extravagant excuse just to buy myself some alone time. I also hadn’t noticed how ineffective, and just flat out rude, my “just fall off the face of the earth” method of self-isolation and non-contact was.

Over the course of this past week, I ventured to call everyone back and let them know that I still love them, I still care, but that I do have to save some emotional energy and time for me and my introverted self.

Fortunately for me, they understood and accepted me for who I am. My friendships, relationships, and family dynamic still stand; they just understand me a little bit better than before.

Moral of the story, we can do this, introverts! This quarantine doesn’t have to be our worst nightmare but can instead be an opportunity to come clean and strengthen our relationship with those that matter most.

Us.

Kidding! Us and our loved ones. ;)