By Ananya Sharma
Does talking to strangers frighten the living hell out of you? Are you scared of rambling until you talk their ears off? Do you constantly experience major underlying fears of judgement wallowing over until you want to be buried six feet deep under?
Well, I’m definitely sure you’re not the only one.
Sometimes the pressure to maintain socially acceptable behaviour works in your favour. Other times you might feel like you’re trapped in an awkward situation with sweaty armpits! But does filtering yourself make you inauthentic? Find out where you land on this self-authenticity journey with our little quiz.
1. How do you communicate good news with a close friend?
A. I call them excitedly right away and spam text if they don’t pick up
B. I’d be looking forward to telling them but probably over a text conversation when we’re both available online
C. I’ll just give them an update whenever we meet if the subject comes up
2. Picture you’re trapped in an ‘Oh no, what do we talk about now’ silence mid-conversation. What does your instinct tell you to do?
A. Speak about whatever has been on my mind—I’m scared of long, empty silences
B. Ask them around about their favourite pizza place—seems neutral enough
C. Hold ‘em in an unspoken stalemate—first person to cave in and speak loses
3. A friend of your friend is having a tough time with their situationship. What’s your response?
A. You tell them it’s going to be alright and are willing to hear them out as if they were one of your own friends
B. You’re unsure if they actually want to talk so you resolve to a simple pat on the head followed by a “there, there”
C. Wondering if you look sad enough or if you’re just smouldering
4. You’ve accidentally said something with a slightly unintended tone. What’s your action plan?
A. Immediately apologize and say “I didn’t mean it like that”
B. It’s okay…what’s done in done, I’ll be more careful next time
C. I HAVE to make sure that I’m constantly apologizing for a while after and repeatedly asking if they felt bad about it
5. To what extent do you use the ‘fake it till you make it’ philosophy?
A. NEVER! Why fake it when I’ve already made it?
B. Every now and then but only after I’ve read the room enough to understand the vibe
C. It was made to be used and honestly poses as a decent conversation starter at times
You got MOSTLY A’s:
You’re fairly confident in yourself and don’t mind openly sharing your perspectives. Whether you’re engaging in a conversation about your favourite fruit, underrated celebrities, the most bizarre history expeditions or even political opinions, you can’t stop expressing yourself. Perhaps to you, discussing outlandish sci-fi shows and action films with strangers at the Met Pub is somewhat therapeutic.
You got MOSTLY B’s:
I’d say you’re like a Russian nesting doll, sometimes you take time to open up. But when you do, you can be a real beaut! You might be a brick wall when it comes to sharing playlists on Spotify, ideal house preferences or favourite video games, but when there’s tea to spill, you’re always the one holding the pot!
You got MOSTLY C’s:
Even onions have their layers, it’s great that you’re gatekeeping that gem of a personality! Those artistic masterpieces hung on your walls and stores with the cheap but gorgeous pants need to be kept under wraps. You’ve got a reputation as the “mysterious hot one” to uphold. The less they know, the better, right?
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