1. Why do you think you are shy?
A: I think I was shy every since I was in Penn Hebron School, where I someone stabbed me in the palm with a pencil. My family members say my shyness started when I was three years old, but I was outgoing before that. I think the kids in the daycare I was with always came up and asked "Don't you ever talk?" "Why are you so quiet?" They even give me cold stares and talk to me disrespectfully. I think my shyness mostly comes from one of my parents who also might have social phobia.
2. How does shyness affect you?
A: Shyness affects my life in a lot of ways, and it's not always a good thing. Unfortunately, my shyness prevents me from expressing myself and doing things that I love. Although, because I don't have a circle of many friends/aquaintances to hang around, at least for my spare time I get to do my own thing independently and have free time to myself like playing video games, listening to music, writing, ect. I think though that when I'm with people, they usually take advantage/take me for granted because of my shyness and that is part of why I feel so ashamed for having social phobia. Sometimes I feel like crap that I have it and I do get depressed, but I try not to let this rule my life.
3. Do you wish you were more confident? (would you change your entire personality?)
A: Tough question, sometimes I do wish I was confident enough and didn't have this horrible social anxiety curse but I know that can't be changed. To be honest, at three years old, I wouldn't even remember when or why I started being quiet because I don't have the answer to that. I mean people change in life and I think a lot of people I'm around with find this trait of mine hard to accept, mostly because they are outgoing themselves (of course :/.) No, I wouldn't change my entire personality, I am actually pretty lenient and empathetic when it comes to others, I let others do what they want to do and I don't try and dictate on the things they enjoy doing, wearing, hobbies, ect. The one thing I would change is my overly nice attitude to people who don't deserve it. I'm getting sick of people taking advantage of me and it is the one thing I would like to put an end to.
4. What social interactions do you fear most?
A: Family gatherings, I hate walking up to cash registers in restaurants/stores because sometimes they can be pretty bossy or irritable if I ask too many questions or take up their time. It happens a lot when I'm even at a writer's group where there is people sitting across a big table, and if I talk too much about what I'm writing about (giving long summaries) some people will roll their eyes and I catch them tapping their fingers on the desk, and say "Okay" like they want me to get on with it. Makes me want to not talk ever after that.
5. Are you both shy and introverted?
A: I'd say I'm a combination of both, I spend my time in my house mostly. If you ever met me in person, you'd already identify me as a socially awkward, clumsy person. I'm not perfect, even if people will look at me based on my appearance that they must think my life seems that way. But it doesn't. I also think my personality is FAR different than any girl I've encountered, and I don't mean to say that like I'm bragging, but it's true. I think differently than most teenagers my age.
