How Extroverts Can Survive Quarantine On ‘Stuff Mom Never Told You’

On this episode of Stuff Mom Never Told You, our hosts Anney (an extrovert) and Samantha (an introvert) talk about how they’re surviving quarantine. For Samantha, it’s not hard; she already felt that a fine Friday night was one where she was snuggled up on the couch with her dog, binge-watching a series like Parks and Recreation or all eight Harry Potter movies - “I have to be alone so I can talk to myself without judgement,” she says. But for Anney and other extroverts like her, how are they dealing with the lack of social interaction? Anney says she just watched the “infamously horrible” Star Wars holiday special “sober, for the second time,” so that’s how things are going with her. But she does have other, much better tips for getting social butterflies through social distancing.

Introverts, in case you’re unaware, are people who get their energy internally; while they can be friendly and outgoing, social interaction takes a lot out of them, and they need quiet time alone to recharge. Extroverts, on the other hand, gain energy from external stimuli and being around people, and lose energy when they’re alone. Anney is a full extrovert; ironically, she was told by her therapist to try staying home once a week right before the pandemic caused shelter-in-place orders to go out. Now, she has up to four video conferencing hangouts a night, so “still finding ways to not do what my therapist says,” she laughs. But, she points out, interaction doesn’t have to come from people – extroverts can also recharge by having new experiences or accomplishing goals. She says exercise is helping her, especially trying new fitness routines like dance, cardio jams, or yoga; she also loves to try a new recipe while listening to new music, she says: “I feel like it’s such a treat.” 

Interactive storytelling and video games are helping her, too, she says, citing Nintendo Switch games like Animal Crossing that still involve talking with people, or using apps like House Party to play trivia games or watch movies with someone. And of course, tried-and-true communication tools like calling or texting friends to keep up with their lives also keeps Anney, and extroverts like her, from going too crazy being cooped up inside. Listen to this episode for more tips on how to survive quarantine without losing your mind, and laugh about Samantha’s hatred of video games, on Stuff Mom Never Told You.

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