An introvert, extrovert, or both.

Humans are complex creatures and although we are naturally social animals, people’s emotions in social interaction vary from person to person. If there is a student that is often quiet, seems to be in their thoughts most of the time, and does not seek attention, this student might be an introvert. Although we cannot make such a conclusion based on the mentioned observations, introverted people often possess these traits. Some people are in a constant state of anxiety in social settings and these feelings can be around even with close friends and relatives. These people, however, flourish when they are alone and for example perform better alone when given task. We call these people introverts.  

The opposite of an introvert is an extrovert. Extrovert people in comparison seek attention and social engagements. They thrive when there are people around them and they are often the loudest ones in the group. When an extrovert person must stay home alone, they will often struggle and might even have anxiety because they lack social interactions. It is usually easier to spot an extrovert person in the group than to find the introverted one.  

Some people possess both personality qualities. You can see this as a continuum scale with extroverted people being far-right and introverted people being far left. Some people will fall in between and some more on the left side. People that fall in between will enjoy social settings but also need their alone time. They will for example take a breathing break when interacting with a group to recharge the energy needed for the social setting.  

In a school setting, it is easy to see who is more leaning towards extroverted personality and who is more introverted. Oftentimes both the working world and schools favor extroverted people. Usually, the most successful people are extroverted because they can excel in group settings and speak themselves to get the best opportunities. However, introverted people should be given more chances. For example, schools could always give the option to work on your own and not force people to work together. Although group working in schools is vital, students should have the option to work alone as well. In the working world, employees need to realize that introverted people can also excel too if their needs are considered. Giving all employees the chance to work at home from time to time is a great way to give the introverts chance to excel. 

By: Marian Keinan