What is an Omnivert?

​By Kenzie

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In life we often define ourselves as either an introvert or an extrovert. But surely it's not as black and white as that? Can't I be both, or at least somewhere in the middle? My answer to you is yes you can and it's called being an omnivert.

All my life I've said that I'm an introvert. If you take me to a party, I'll spend all my time sitting in the corner. If I'm in a situation with people I don't know, I won't say a word unless someone talks to me first. If you give me the choice of a night in or a night out, I can guarantee that I will choose a night in 99% of the time. So to me, and probably to most other people, those are  examples of the behaviors of an introvert. However, if you take me on an evening out with people I know, I'll have the best time. If you take me to a music festival, you'll find me dancing in the middle of a crowd. If someone I don't know starts talking to me,it only takes 10 minutes together for us to be  laughing and talking like old friends. What I've just described is the complete opposite of an introvert - it's more extroverted. But I can't be an extrovert and an introvert… can I?

But yes, I can. An omnivert is someone who is neither an extrovert nor an introvert, but instead is a mix of both, depending on the situation. You might be thinking 'I've never heard of that.' Chances are you won't have unless you spend a lot of time on the internet, as it is very much an Urban Dictionary coined term. However, it is still very real and describes a lot of us. You may think that you'd rather be one or other - an introvert or an extrovert - but being both is great, and here is why:

1. You're like Hannah Montana 
If you were a Disney Channel kid like me, you will have heard of Hannah Montana. Hannah Montana is a normal kid by day, and a rockstar by night. Well, being an omnivert is a bit like that. You're extroverted enough to be full of energy, rocking out and being the life of the party at times, but you're also able to chill out, take it slow and let others take the lead. You've got the best of both worlds, and that's pretty cool.

2. You know it's okay to be unpopular 
Nowadays, everyone seems to want a lot of Instagram followers or a lot  of likes on their Facebook profile pictures in order to feel validated and be one of the cool kids. But not you.  You can just enjoy the act of being invisible, since by being part introvert, you are only the centre of attention when you choose to be.

3. You are trustworthy
Being loud and confident does not always equal being great and truthful. Extroverts tend to be loud and talkative all the time but that doesn't mean that what they’re saying is meaningful or true. As an omnivert, you most likely won't talk as much, but when you do, your words are simple and powerful and in your case, less is most definitely more.

4. You know more about other people
As an introvert, it can sometimes feel like you're invisible, but that can be great. You can watch other people and analyse them without you having to invade their personal space. Then, the introverted part of you can use that outsider knowledge to detect when someone is trying to deceive you or is being inauthentic. That protects you and makes you have the upper hand with anyone who thinks they can pull wool over your eyes.

The bottom line is, omniverts are pretty cool and they're all around us. Sometimes you won't even be able to tell since they're like chameleons, clever and powerful. . You're pretty special, so embrace being an omnivert and people will love you for it - and if they don't, just remember point no.2 (who cares?!)