Yes, they’re real — very real. According to a WSJ article, “It wasn’t till the 1940s that the term “ambivert” began to be commonly used by psychologists.” Ambiverts typically juggle between the personality traits of an introvert and an extrovert. As stated in the article, ambiverts possess a number of advantages in terms of adaptability. First, they are particularly flexible when it comes to socializing, whether with others or by themselves. Second, ambiverts are excellent communicators who know when to pitch in, and when to simply keep their ears open.
The article conveys that ambiverts have a natural tendency to step back, visualize what’s in front of them, and go from there, but here’s my personal take on other elements that might also mold an ambivert — while some of these components do contradict with the established idea that ambiverts adapt well, keep in mind that, ambivert or not, we’re all different.
1. You’re normally witty, funny and opinionated, but when you’re introduced to a group of people whom you’ve never seen before, you’re suddenly at a lose for words.
Photo by Joyce Xu
Internally, you’re dying to join the interesting conversation, but on the outside, you’re afraid you’ll make a fool of yourself, so you show that you’ve given up on any attempt to participate in the fun. In the end, you pretend that this group isn’t for you — just to cleanse the after-effects of having failed to throw in your truly awesome personality.
2. Though career fairs excite you, you rarely attend them because you can’t stand the anxiety that comes along with them.
Photo by Joyce Xu
You love meeting career-driven individuals, but only when you’re with an ambivert friend, one who is just as nervous as you are, yet refuses to walk away until they’ve fiercely introduced themselves. Basically, you want to widen your network, but unless the recruiter has somehow seen a portion of your extrovert side, your introvert side surfaces, pushing away pieces of your typically gregarious persona and bringing to the life the layer of you that is rather withdrawn.
3. The clash between drive and intimidation.
Photo by Joyce Xu
You fantasize about working directly with editors, designers, photographers, videographers — you name it — but your stomach turns at even the slightest thought of interacting with these professionals. Whenever you pass by a studio, you wish you were in there with that team, rearranging props for a photo or brainstorming ideas for the next project. You dream of the teamwork and the offices depicted in movies like 13 Going on 30, The Internship, The Devil Wears Prada and The Social Network.
4. You’re incredibly confident with your skill set, but can’t bring yourself to apply for jobs because the application process requires an interview.
Photo by Joyce Xu
The process of prepping for interviews only invites chills to your body. To temporarily ridden your worries, you Google interview tips and how-tos. But as an ambivert, your extrovert side usually, and surprisingly, pays you a visit when you’re finally at the interview, and makes you wonder why you bothered with all that preparation — you’re a natural.
5. You want to go out, but you also want to stay in.
Photo by Joyce Xu
You enjoy the idea of going out to dinner at a nice restaurant with a group of friends, but amid the gathering, you eventually regret having agreed to such plans and wish you would’ve, instead, stayed home to watch Blacklist and order a half-pepperoni, half-pineapple pie.