I recently came back from a week-long conference. It is a very energy draining exercise for most. You are constantly bombarded with information. It is absolutely terrifying for me. You see, I am an introvert person. Public speaking is not my thing, but I fight it by presenting at conferences. The talk sessions are fine, I sit, I listen, I clap, but you won’t see me ask questions. Then come the coffee breaks. If I’m at the conference with people I know from my university, chances are we sat together during the presentations, we leave the room together, we gather for coffee and talk together. But the whole point of conferences is to mingle, to meet new people, and to connect. And when I leave the comfort of the people I know, then I feel all alone in this sea of people. Groups are forming, conversations start. I think it’s rude to interrupt a conversation. So I wander between the tables. Now that being said, I go over my fears and meet new people. At the past conference, some of those interactions will most likely end-up in future collaborations, for I am very grateful it happened, but every time it’s the same struggle, getting the strength to dive into the sea of people. The rewards are worth it. Keep fighting your shyness.
Seabird ecologist