I don’t generally like large crowds, excessively loud music, or late-night events. As an introvert, I prefer quiet activities that take place early in the day and that I can do alone or with a few close friends. I’ve never been one for particularly “thrilling” things like rollercoasters or big parties, but when I was sixteen, I discovered that I had a passion for one typically “extroverted” event: concerts.
My first concert was the 2014 Warped Tour at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. I was really timid at first. I was in the largest group of people I’d ever seen in my life, and everyone else was being rambunctious and loud. I felt a little out of place in my school newspaper shirt and embroidered jean shorts. Like, I was very uncool and very out of place.I stood awkwardly in the back at the beginning of the first set. Eventually, I realized, though, that no one was paying any attention to what other people were doing. People were dancing, moshing, or just standing around, but they were all focused on the music. I suddenly felt much less self-conscious. I’ve since realized that a lot of the seemingly extroverted concert goers that surround me are actually quite introverted in most settings.
Since then, I’ve been to two more Warped Tours, the Alternative Press Music Awards, and, most recently, Panic! At the Disco’s Death of a Bachelor Tour. Going to a concert produces a kind of incredible transformation in me. I become almost extroverted, jumping around or dancing, screaming the lyrics at the top of my lungs, and being generally more excitable and emotive than usual.Although everyone at a concert is kind of doing their own thing, there’s also a certain connection between audience members. I’ve had multiple conversations with complete strangers, and they were totally relaxed conversations that didn’t feel at all awkward. I’ve seen people helping each other out, whether that means they helped an injured individual get to a first aid area, moved to let a shorter person have a better view, or protected someone who wasn’t paying attention from getting kicked by a crowd surfer.
Going to concerts has also helped me feel a little more extroverted in my daily life, too. There’s nothing wrong with being an introvert, but there are definitely times when I wish I could be a little more free of my inhibitions. As a high school freshman, I barely moved at all on the dance floor at homecoming, but now I’m not afraid to dance my heart out in a public setting. Just as I realized that no one is watching my every move at a concert to spot a mistake or embarrassing misstep, I learned that people are pretty much absorbed in their own activities almost all of the time.So, I present this as a challenge to all the introverts out there: try something that seems totally out of your comfort zone. I’m not saying you have to go to a concert and jump right into a mosh pit, but try doing something totally out of the ordinary, whether that’s wearing some bright red lipstick, going skydiving, or anything in between. You might find that you aren’t as introverted as you thought.
Image Credit: Elizabeth Heckler