Kind of a chicken/egg situation. I have asked myself "do I not fit in because I am an introvert or am I an introvert because I never fit it?" 55 and still not really sure. I do enjoy my own company so??? Oh, well. Long as I'm happy I guess it doesn't really matter for me but I worry about others who feel unwelcome and set themselves aside.

I was bullied in 6th grade by a bunch of mean girls to the point of not wanting to go to school. But that eventually passed, and I moved on. I went to a high school where social clubs were rampant, so I always felt left out til my senior year when I finally made it into one of them. That didn't help much because I have always felt like an outsider wherever I was, even in my own family. I think it's part of being an introvert that "group stuff" just doesn't agree with us. I can connect with people one on one, but in groups... it just doesn't work for me. I think extroverts feel more empowered in a group. I get my mine from within. What do you think?

Yes. Like others, I was always the outsider. I didn't have friends, wasn't included in games, didn't understand the jokes. My weird upbringing didn't help. Teachers loved me, though, because I was bright and made things easy for them.

Yes, especially after the girl in third grade dared me to kiss her, and I did and she told the teacher who made me stand in the hall!

yep, always the outsider, didn't fit in anywhere. That's why I've never been to a class reunion-you didn't want to bother with me all through school, so I'm not going to bother with you now.

I don't remember feeling shunned really... unless they were picking team members to play a ballgame or something. I don't think I was very good. I was always one of the last picked for a team

I have the innate ability to not care if people shun me.