I am not an ambivert. I’m dominantly introverted and recessively extroverted. Confused? Don’t worry, I promise it’ll make sense soon and you'll be able to relate.
A picture of myself in one of my "we outsideee" moments. Picture was taken with an iPhone 11
You know how we all have personality types; Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Choleric, and Melancholy? And while we may lean heavily toward one, we still exhibit traits of the others to varying degrees? Well, I think our social lives work the same way. A naturally introverted person might genuinely enjoy socializing and being outdoors occasionally, but their “natural habitat” is being indoors, basking in their solitude. Makes sense, right?
For me, the indoors is my power-bank, my fortress. Give me free Wi-Fi, uninterrupted electricity, food, and I’ll become besties with my blanket. My neighbors rarely see me, and when they do, they ask, “Did you travel?”. Even my music habits scream introvert, always through a headset, never blasting out loud.
Serenity is my love language. That’s why you’ll never catch me fantasizing about living in Lagos. Never! Don’t get me wrong, it’s the bustling heart of Nigeria, but for me? It’s way too noisy, chaotic, and fast-paced. I’m chill, like iced tea on a hot day, and Lagos is the equivalent of coffee at 11 PM.
But as much as I adore my alone time, the outside life calls to me occasionally. I crave the fun stuff. You know, lunch with my girls, a movie date with potential Mr. Right, or even partying hard once a year. The thrill, the laughter, the buzz of it all is exciting. The best part? Getting ready. I live for turning my wardrobe upside down searching for the perfect outfit . After-all, I’m just a girl. For me, it’s the pre-party party. But the aftermath? That’s where my extrovert battery takes a hit. Seeing the debit alerts from all that fun? Instant energy drain. Fun is expensive abeg.
And that brings me to my social battery. I can go from full-on life of the party mode to I-don’t-even-have-the-energy-to-smile-at-you in a flash. When my social battery hits zero, it’s time to head home, cuddle my teddy bear, and bask in glorious silence. Give me a week and some days though, and I’ll be itching to head back outside.
So, here’s the balance: I love my own company, planning my day without interruptions, watching my K-dramas, reading. But I also love connecting with people, traveling, dancing, and having meaningful conversations. The catch? These activities drain me quickly, so I’ve got to pace myself.
If I had to break it down, I’ll say I'm 70% introvert and 30% extrovert. Or maybe 60/40? The math doesn’t really matter—what matters is, I’m not a perfect ambivert. Ambiverts, in my opinion, are a 50/50 split between introvert and extrovert. My mix is less equal. But enough about me, what about you? Are you a perfect ambivert whose energy level is not dependent on being indoors or outdoors, OR do you also dance between dominant and recessive traits of extroversion and introversion like I do? Let me know; I’d love to hear your take!
I'm Mide and this is my entry for HN-weekly E76