Travel is exciting. There's the opportunity to explore uncharted territory and surround yourself with other people you'll likely never encounter again. But what happens if you're a human who prefers to escape the excitement and other humans on a vacation? Such is the plight of an introvert.
Given that personality plays a role in forming work, social and relationship preferences, it's no surprise that it also factors into how a person enjoys vacation. This is never more true than it is for those "quiet types." Read on to discover a few ways introverts approach their vacations differently.
1. They prefer heading to the mountains.
A quiet cabin tucked away near the slopes? Sounds like an introvert's paradise. A recent study published in the Journal of Research in Personality found that introversion was linked with a preference for mountains, while extroversion is more linked with a preference for the ocean.
2. Or somewhere cultural.
Five star hotels, fancy cruises and elite clubs aren't really an introvert's cup of tea. When traveling, culture is key. Introverts are known for being reflective and deep thinkers, so immersing themselves in a city's museum might be a more ideal vacation activity than, say, a zipline excursion with a bunch of strangers.
3. They love solo travel.
As individuals who don't draw energy from other people, but rather themselves, solo travel experiences are great for introverts. Solo travel allows a person to create her own schedule and do a lot of inner reflection -- huge priorities for the personality type. Some companies even offer vacation packages specifically for introverts, for those who just want a little quiet, but with other people who want the same thing.
4. They may not feel that "experience high" that others do.
Some people may feel euphoria from the busy streets of a new city, but introverts are more likely to withdraw in these particular scenarios. This lack of energy isn't just a preference -- introverts' minds may be hardwired this way. Research suggests that introverts do not connect to the feeling of reward (which is activated in the brain) to their surroundings.
5. They may not pick up if you call to check in.
Introverts have an innate habit of screening their calls -- even from their loved ones -- because they want to be mentally prepared or energized to have a conversation. The main goal of most vacations is to detach oneself from daily stressors, and out-of-the-blue phone calls certainly falls on that list. Try sending a text message instead.
6. They don't always need to be on the go.
Sometimes itineraries are the enemy when an introvert is on vacation. A hallmark characteristic of an introvert is needing downtime to recharge -- and filling each hour with an activity is quite the opposite of that. Introverts need to schedule some off periods throughout the course of their trips.
Ultimately, it's not hard to please the quiet type on a vacation as long as there's some resting involved. Isn't the point of a vacation to relax, anyway? There's no better companion for unwinding than an introvert.
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