Written by Kirill Bedenkov, Politics and International Relations BSc
Hello, there.
My cautious guess would be that you clicked on this article because the words in the title somewhat connect with you - maybe you are an introvert, a newcomer to UCL, or simply a person who cares about life a lot. Although I have no idea where you are from - be it Manchester, Tokyo, Madrid, or Shanghai - I certainly hope that this piece will help you learn something about yourself and prepare you for the upcoming university experience.
To begin with, let’s provide some context behind the enigmatic ‘introversion’. Existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard defined the 'introvert' as a person who enjoys solitude and withdraws periodically to nurse the ideas around the mystical ‘self'. In other words, they prefer to focus on their inner thoughts and ideas rather than external happenings.
As any top-tier modern university, UCL emphasises the active interaction of its students with fellow peers, lecturers, seminar leaders, and even students from other universities. However, in such a system, a person who differs from a classic extrovert most likely will feel out of place. How, then, can an introvert survive in such an environment?
Intending to answer all of the above-outlined questions, I interviewed some UCL introverts to collect anonymous stories about their perception of how the university accommodates introversion. In these three short accounts, I hope that every fellow introvert will find some comfort and reassurance...
Narrator 1 - Seminar Discussions:
"During my first few weeks at UCL, I was very content with my writing assignments, for which I received fairly good feedback. And overall, I managed to engage in some of the conversations in my course chat, where some of the points I brought up were praised by my course mates. However, the problem arose every time I worked at seminars with someone not in my circle of close friends as I usually got lost, embarrassed and probably looked somewhat strange. I was even convinced I am all of those due to my high-school image engrained somewhere in my mind."
"But everything changed when I realised that most of my course mates were willing to help me settle in by either starting the academic conversation themselves or taking time to, instead, talk about life for a few moments. And the seminar leaders were always very helpful, usually suggesting the starting points for a discussion - but never by putting you on the spot - if they noticed some awkward silence."
"I think this is one of the distinguishing features of UCL - you are not forced to change yourself.
The environment around you adapts to your specific view of yourself, making it easier for anyone to participate in live discussions to the extent you are ready for."
Narrator 2 - Student Accommodation:
"I am not from London, and, while applying to UCL, I knew that I would have to live in student accommodation. In principle, I was not afraid that the conditions might turn out to be somehow different or even that it would suddenly be inconvenient to get into my mind-space. I was worried that I would constantly need to communicate with someone, that even "at home" I would not be able to relax and unwind, that I would constantly be in someone's sight."
"But I soon realised that most students share my fears, and small steps towards mutual understanding make a big difference. For instance, I started leaving a few bites for my neighbours whenever I would cook some food for myself in the shared kitchen. And in a week or so, we already had shared feasts and movie nights. Each of them understood what personal space is, so they did not try to push me out of my comfort zone."
Narrator 3 - Clubs and Societies:
"When I just got into UCL, many extracurricular societies and clubs were an undoubted advantage for me - a chance to get involved in the active, interesting, and fun university life. I joined some of them, although sometimes it was not easy. But one of the funniest and enlightening times was when I went to a Film Society party. Having already gone through the hell of overthinking, I arrived at the meeting place to talk with people who share my passion. Everything was great - the film choice was brilliant (I highly recommend Ex Machina), the place itself was cosy and welcoming, and the people ... People ... That was the catch ... Suddenly, I realised that with so many people gathered at the same time in one place, it would be much more interesting for them to talk with someone more sociable and outgoing than me."
"But, I couldn't be more wrong. After the screening, I sat on a sofa near a small group of people discussing the movie and just observed them for some time. And I realised that most of them are genuinely interested in one another's takes on the meaning behind the film and its cinematography. At that moment, I felt almost euphoric about belonging to a group of like-minded individuals. And after an hour or so (and maybe one or two beers), I found myself discussing the dangers of artificially created consciousness when it is not adequately regulated. I then realised that it's much easier to meet new people when doing something you genuinely enjoy. And I am so glad that UCL has over 360 clubs and societies. Imagine the possibilities?"
The main take away from the above? There is no clear-cut path to hacking Uni as an introvert, but you will find your way. Whether it's joining a society, cooking with your halls neighbours or striking up a conversation with a classmate in your seminar, the smallest steps can make all the difference. You don't need to change who you are to 'fit in'. Take it from Søren Kierkegaard:
"The most common form of despair is not being who you are."