³ÉÈË´óƬ

I love seeing friends, I love talking to people, and for the most part, I love being social. But sometimes I need to sit back and charge my own battery.

One of my friends’ social battery is akin to that of an iPhone. He starts off super bubbly and vibrant (98%), begins to get in the red (20%), and then suddenly, the screen turns black and you see the Apple logo. It is the opposite of gradual, since we will be having a great time, and then in the next five minutes, he will head off to go home.

This has made me consider my own ‘social battery’. Labelling myself as either an introvert or an extrovert has always been difficult for me; it feels as if where I stand on this fluctuates depending on where I’m at in life, or who I’m with. But one thing is for certain: I do not understand how people can work with people, study with people, party with people and not need time to recuperate. I’m at a point where I’m excited to see my friends, and crave it frequently, but still value my time alone. I think my social battery is recharged by my close friends who act like my very own portable chargers in boosting my energy. If I’m around new people, having to navigate small talk and introductions, my battery acts as if my hotspot is on and gets chewed up quickly!

Time alone is important, though! It helps me understand myself better, and to find comfort within myself. You can work on personal projects, feel productive, and of course, act freely without any perceptions imposed on your actions or thoughts. I love seeing my friends, but sometimes I have to say, sorry, but my battery needs recharging! I have to remind myself that this is not an insult—they won’t think I find them boring and draining—because I’m sure most of us feel the same way at times.