5 Rare Signs You're An Ambivert (Half Introvert, Half Extrovert)
An ambivert is a unique person who has features of both extrovert and introvert.
Look Studio / Shutterstock Introverts and extroverts have it easy: they know what they want. Extroverts need to be the center of attention and introverts want to run 1,000 miles in the opposite direction of the spotlight. But some people, want both.
But for many of us who don't feel like we belong entirely to either personality type, life is a bit more complicated. It's tough to straddle that line and be filled with courage one moment, and cowering the next. There are so many things you want to do, but you don't always have the energy or drive to do them.
Making plans is difficult, too, because you can never anticipate which side of the fence you'll fall on a given night. Some days, you'll feel like you need some alone time, only to get lonely and miss your friends when you're home by yourself.
Other times you get psyched up to go to a party, only to want to run away and hide from the crowd once you're in it. If that sounds like you, then you might be an ambivert, ever-wavering back and forth between outgoing and introspective.
Here are 5 rare signs you're an ambivert, which is half introvert, half extrovert:
1. You love going out with friends, but you get nervously suspicious when someone knocks on the door
You don't always drink, but when you do, all your friends have to be there, and yet you get scared when someone knocks on your door. You know at least 4 people, and they all text you before coming over. (It's not uncommon to have fewer friends now, with the 2021 American Perspectives Survey finding that more Americans report having fewer close friendships in 2024.)
2. You go out to a bar to meet someone but then panic when he buys you a drink
No way are you going to text a dude for 2 weeks off of a dating app, but the idea of getting approached by a guy is so much easier in your head.
3. You'll take all your friends out for a group dinner, but you're too afraid to send your order back if they mess it up
You love to treat the people in your life, but you would also hate to inconvenience the waitress.
Ivan Samkov / Pexels
4. You sing your heart out at karaoke but roll your windows up in your car so no one can hear you belting out Beyonce
Having three drinks before going on stage doesn't hurt, but the time you spend alone in your car is sacred to you, and no one deserves to hear that voice. (And if you're a person who enjoys their alone time, don't fret, research from 2016 states you're actually more intelligent than the average person.)
5. You go out for a night out on the town, but then instantly want to climb back into bed and Netflix
You had a hard week at work, and need the distraction, but the second you step out, you realize the only distraction you need is a tub of ice cream and a good rom-com.
Anete Lusina / Pexels
Bob Alaburda is a senior editor at dvm360. His writing has appeared in the Huffington Post, Ravishly, and more.