I spend a lot of time around other people, but I don't like social chitchat. I tend to talk to my friends about specific topics that we both find interesting and insightful. I prefer socializing with people who can tell me interesting things I can learn from and apply to my own life and I hope that my friends can benefit from my insight similarly. I also do structured, more task-oriented activities that involve people, such as sitting on boards of organizations, attending conferences, and networking with professionals in the field. I enjoy the act of back-and-forth with people, but only on an intellectual level. When people start getting emotional, social situations become very overwhelming and I often shut down. If there is no relational emotion involved, however, I can socialize indefinitely.
I've come to appreciate alone time somewhat after having to isolate myself for years. I do enjoy university, but often find that it is painful to force myself to be alone and study for such long periods of time. I'm an extrovert and like listening to myself talk. I also need to self-express to help me process information that I acquire. Study groups don't really work because I have to read stuff first before I can talk about it. Because I tend to be thorough with my readings, however, I end up having to explain everything to other people in the study group, so it's not intellectually stimulating enough as a result.
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Leading a double life and loving it (but exhausted).
Likely ADHD instead of what I've been diagnosed with before.