Introverts Share How They Met Their Partners

Finding good people to date is challenging regardless of your circumstances, but the dating scene can be especially difficult for people who don’t like partying and going to bars, or who struggle with putting themselves “out there.” Yesterday, an AskReddit thread had introverts share how they met their partners. The thread is full of sweet, hopeful stories, and reassurance that you don’t have to be a social butterfly to meet someone great.

Sunday’s AskReddit thread asked, “Introverts of reddit, how did you meet your SO?” Hundreds of people chimed in with stories and advice for people who are introverted or shy. It’s worth noting, as a number of people in the thread did, that “introverted” and “shy” are not the same thing. Often people interpret “introvert” to mean “shy,” “socially awkward,” or “people hating,” but that a common mistake. An introvert, in broad terms, is simply someone for whom social interaction is draining — introverts may really enjoy being with people, but they need some time to recharge after a gathering. (Extroverts, in contrast, gain energy from social interaction.) This Reddit thread sometimes lumps introversion, shyness, and social awkwardness together, but, even so, it’s full of excellent advice for people who struggle to make the social connections that could lead to solid romantic relationships.

A number of redditors’ stories show that you don’t have to go to parties or bars to meet cool people — in fact, a lot of them met their partners through online forums and games. One redditor wrote, for example, that they met their S.O. "[o]n the internet, in a little community where you got to know people over time by interacting and sharing stuff about life. Wasn't even trying to meet people to date!" Another met their partner playing World of Warcraft:

Another redditor has "Pokemon GO" to thank for their relationship.

The writer added, "Of all things, I never thought pokemon would be a catalyst to meeting a future SO, but I'm pretty psyched that it did. It's always a fun story to tell when people ask how we met."

A number of people said they met their partners through online dating sites like Match.com. A redditor who goes by "Texas_Flood" said of meeting their girlfriend online, "It was refreshing to meet someone outside of a bar and actually get to know them before things got physical. I highly recommend trying it. You have nothing to lose."

Other respondents said they met their partners at work or while doing activities. A common element of these stories is that, when meeting or dating new people, it can be helpful to have something to do — from working to coloring — to guide the conversation.

This story was just hella cute:

One unifying element for a lot of the stories in the thread, different though they may be, is the importance of simply taking a chance. If you are shy or awkward, taking that leap can be really difficult — but it could end up being the best decision of your life. Just ask SmudgieGirl, who met her partner after forcing herself to be brave:

Be bold, friends! You can read the whole AskReddit thread here.

Images: svetikd/E+/Getty Images; Reddit (6)