An Introvert's Back-to-School Guide for Spring Semester

By Christine Ascher on January 10, 2018

With winter break soon coming to an end and the new spring semester fast approaching, it’s time to start getting ready to return to school. If you’re an introvert, your back-to-school plans may involve a bit more than just purchasing some new school supplies. Much of a college student’s daily routine involves being around people—whether it’s in your classes, in your extracurricular activities, or back at your dorm or apartment with your roommates. All of this socializing means that, as an introvert, you may need to put a bit more time into preparing for the semester in order to prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed. To ensure that your upcoming semester is the best that it can be, try out some of the following tips for going back to school.

via Pixabay.com

Find a Place to Spend Time Alone

As an introvert, it can be difficult at times to deal with having a roommate around all the time. If you found yourself last semester struggling to find privacy or to have some time alone to replenish your energy, it’s a good idea to start off your spring semester by searching out a good place where you can go to have some alone time. Whether it’s the library, a coffee shop, or just a quiet place on campus, having a go-to spot that you can count on whenever you need some time to recoup will help ensure that you have a good semester—and that you’re ready to spend time with your friends and roommates later.

Find Activities You Can Perform Alone

In addition to finding a good quiet spot where you can go to recharge, you may also want to consider some activities that you can perform on your own throughout the day in case you find yourself feeling like you need to recharge. Eating a meal alone or going to the gym to work out, for instance, are great ways to spend some time on your own. Having some strategies already in place as you enter the spring semester in case you ever feel overwhelmed or just want some time to be alone with your own thoughts will allow you to jump right in.

Join a New Extracurricular Activity

If you’re not as prone to striking up conversations with strangers or going out to meet new people, one great way to make some new friends in a fun and low-stress environment is by joining a new club or extracurricular at your university. Choose a program that correlates with your interests, whether that happens to be related to your major or not, and attend a few meetings to see how you like it. In addition to allowing you to explore an area that you’re drawn to, participating in an extracurricular activity is a great way make new friends. Since you’ll already know that you have one interest in common, you’ll have at least one thing to talk about with the other members of the club—meaning it will be that much easier to break the ice. Then, once you start to feel more comfortable, you’ll probably find yourself opening up more and making a new group of friends.

Reach Out to Your Classmates

Even if you’re an introvert, it never hurts to find a study buddy or to participate in a study group for some of your more difficult classes. However, if you wait until the middle of the semester when your first exam is coming up to do so, it’ll probably be more difficult for you to reach out to classmates who you may not have spoken to before to find some people to study with. Instead of waiting, it’s a good idea to strike up a conversation with one or two of your classmates at the beginning of the semester to see if they would be interested in studying or working on assignments together in the future. Your peers are always a great resource in college classes, as you can all learn from each other, and if you form some connections early on during the course you’ll be in a great position when it comes time for your midterm. Most students are probably going to be in the same position in terms of looking for study groups, especially at the beginning of the semester, so don’t be afraid to reach out. You and your classmates will be glad that you did.

Own Your Introversion                                                                              

In a society where being introverted is often looked as a “bad thing,” it’s not surprising if you feel some self-consciousness or self-doubts about your introversion. However, even if they might not be as widely noted or celebrated, remember that being an introvert brings with it a lot of positive traits that can set you apart. For instance, you probably take more time to think through what you’re going to say before you say it, leading to more thoughtful speech. You might also not be afraid of doing things alone. Rather than being weaknesses, these characteristics can help you out a lot as you start to navigate your way through college and into adult life. Instead of feeling like you have to change, own your personality and appreciate all of the ways that it makes you strong and you’ll be ready to face the new semester with confidence.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format