dreadfully shy

I barely spoke in school when I was younger. In seventh grade, my whole gifted English class was given detention (or got in some sort of trouble) for talking in the halls except me. I remember Mrs. Farrell saying something along the the lines of "...except Shana, because we ALL know that she does not talk!" No one in the class was mad at me because they knew it was true. I would answer in whispers if I was called upon in class. In college, I was more comfortable and voiced my opinion if I felt the need. I started smoking so I would not be expected to talk as much.

Now, it is almost impossible for me to bite my tongue. I am a social worker and have to speak constantly. My clients and their families cannot believe that I was ever shy or quiet because I have such a 'happy' and 'upbeat' personality. (That's strange to hear.) I just tell them that once I started, I could not stop.

I am still shy, but mostly in social situations. I prefer small groups where I can personalize conversations. I love to watch people interact with each other. I find it fascinating.