By Ayumi Yoshihama |Staff Writer|

People tend to have the misconception that all introverts are shy or lack communication skills.
Even dictionary.com defines introvert as “a shy person.”
Psychology Today stated that introverts restore their energy by spending time alone, unlike extroverts who gain energy through socialization.
Many people do not know that introversion is biological and might have the wrong idea. Introverts naturally produce more dopamine than extroverts, so they require less social stimulation than their talkative counterparts. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter released by our brain, known as the “pleasure” sensor.
To understand more about introverts, I interviewed a few Coyotes who considered themselves as introverts.
One student, who wished to remain anonymous, said she considered herself an introvert because she likes spending time by herself after a lot of social interaction.
“I am not shy because I am not afraid of talking to others; I guess I just prefer to do things by myself sometimes,” the anonymous source added.
Another student, Hailey Allison said, “I am introverted, but pretty good at small talk. Fake it until you make it. I like to talk, just takes a while until I am extremely open with people.”
It is not always easy to identify an introvert and who is not since some of people hide it; often it may be difficult to label yourself as an introvert or extrovert.
According to The Huffington Post, there are signs that suggest you may “secretly” be introverted. The five most important are:
– You may find small talk with a stranger awkward.
– You go to parties but not to meet new people.
– You are easily distracted because you may be overwhelmed by your surroundings.
– You are in a relationship with an extrovert.
– You have a constantly running inner monologue.
The Huffington Post also presents some ideas to help approach introverts. They include:
– Respect their personal space and boundaries; sometimes it takes time for people to warm up to you.
– Socializing can be mentally draining, which is the opposite for extroverts who recharge from the situation.
– Don’t take silence as an insult–it isn’t!
Remember that introverts hate overstimulating crowds, not necessarily the individual people you may encounter.
While they may need a bit more space, introverts can feel lonely, too.