I've gone back and forth. I am starting college Monday and am both looking forward to and scared spitless of going. What really frightens me is the fact that the program I am in (AAS-IT) really pushes the whole team project thing.

It depends. I'm finding that now that I work, I have less energy for the monthly meet up the local Freethinker group I'm in does. It's at a wine/coffee place on a Friday night and it gets full and loud and it doesn't take long (especially if I had just come there from work) before I have to leave. It wasn't that way before but it is now more so in the last almost two years which is when I started working full-time. Even going to school didn't do this to me. School also didn't drain me nearly as much, maybe because it stimulated me more intellectually. Work doesn't because I call people and schedule appointments. There isn't room for much more than small talk and people at work don't come over really and talk to me.

If I don't know anyone I tend to be quiet. I have to go to professional development occassionally and will try to find common ground such as age to find a place to sit when I don't know anyone.

I can enjoy being with one person but 3 is definitely a crowd.

Not just that, but boring, too. I feel I have to put on a performance and look interested and behave nicely, when I really want to get away and be on my own. Even close friends and family are best in quite small doses.

Yup

reading long-winded presentations is tiring.

If it’s an online group, and I have the entire internet separating us - I’m fine

If it’s a gathering of actual people in real life - not so much. I once had to seek refuge in my garage during my own birthday party - it was way too peopley!