For well over a month, North Allegheny students have mindlessly conducted the same routine day after day in their homes. Per the guidelines implemented across Pennsylvania, in-person classes switched to virtual learning and strict guidelines were implemented to further enforce sheltering in place at home during quarantine.

Since starting quarantine last month, both introverts and extroverts alike have embarked on a journey figuring out how to navigate these unprecedented times in which quartine is proving to affect introverted and extroverts people in separate ways. 

For starters, introverts gain their energy by partaking in solitary activities and spending time alone unlike their counterpart who actually show increased energy when surrounded by other people. Therefore, it is believed that introverts are better adjusting to the situation compared to extroverts.

Senior introvert Emma Sieminski expressed how she has been adjusting with the switch from seeing her friends five times a week at school to an immense amount of alone time all day every day during quarantine. 

“Quarantine has honestly been a rollercoaster of emotions. I, of course, miss my friends a lot, but I also don’t mind having more alone time because that’s when I’m most comfortable in general anyway,” she said. 

On the contrary, senior extrovert Addison Mangieri explained how being in quarantine has proven to be not as easy to deal with.

“Not seeing my friends every day has definitely been a challenge. I facetime my friends every day or even multiple times a day and try to make things as normal as possible,” she said. “Overall it’s been a struggle adjusting, but I’m still trying to be positive about the situation.”

Additionally, it has become evident that quarantine is resulting in extroverts and introverts feeling as if they lost different things. 

Although the newly enforced laws essentially requiring people to not leave their homes and therefore avoid great amounts of social interaction is the dream of every introvert, being in quarantine actually has some introverts reminiscing back on things they can actually no longer take part in. While being surrounded by hundreds of other kids may be draining to introverts, places such as schools provide introverts with the opportunity to take part in things they wouldn’t normally otherwise take part in. 

“Being an introvert during self-isolation, I am comfortable being alone and not socializing 24/7. However, it was also nice having school because school is a place where I talk to people constantly and am maybe even forced to get outside of my comfort zone,” Sieminski explained. “Now, that’s all gone, and we all have a strange transition to deal with.”

As for extroverts, quarantine has taken away the one thing they seek most: social interaction. For a lot of extroverts, not being able to socially interact, even if it has only been just a month, has proven to be the biggest struggle. 

Senior extrovert Abby Glass explained how being able to spend every day with her family has been great but, at the same time, she also greatly misses being able to interact with other people outside of her family. 

“Seeing the same three people in my family every day is fun, but I also really miss seeing other faces,” she said. “I miss seeing my extended family, friends, and teammates a lot. I just want to be able to have a good laugh with them and give them a big hug.”

Mangieri shared similar thoughts. “I definitely can’t wait to get back to normal and talk to people other than my family.”

None-the-less, whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, quarantine will take a toll on you to some degree. In order to maintain your emotional wellbeing, you need relationships and social interactions regardless of which side you’re on. Both introverts and extroverts benefit from engaging in the social tendencies of those with extroverted behavior. Despite essentially thriving when left alone, introverts can still feel the negative impacts of minimal social interaction and can benefit from incorporating online social interaction into their schedules. 

“It can still get kind of lonely, even though I’m surrounded by my family. It’s hard to cope when we don’t even know how long this will last,” said Sieminski. 

For extroverts who are most feeling the effects of minimal social interaction, it is recommended to not only take part in virtual interaction but to also include activities which force them to remain active and try new things in order to occupy their newfound vast amounts of free time. Glass has taken this advice, but she’s beyond ready to get back to her life pre quarantine after a month of doing so.

“I have all this time so I’ve been shooting hoops, working out, and watching a lot of movies with my family, but it’s now starting to get boring,” she said. “I just want my life to go back to normal.”

Regardless of whether you are an introvert or extrovert, it’s more important than ever to stay positive and find some good in our current situation. 

“On the positive side, my sister is home from college, and we get to spend so much time together, which I absolutely love. That’s definitely the best part,” Sieminski explained.