Is Milton Made for Extroverts?

I am an introvert. I have no problem with being home, in bed, away from the ever-so-attractive Friday night activities on campus. I didn’t always feel this way. I felt the expectation that in order to be something at Milton, I had to be everything: academic, athletic, artistic, and of course, social. Personally, I don’t think Milton fosters the perfect environment for all types of students to thrive socially. One example of Milton’s shortcomings is in the Student Center.

I thought the chaos and stress of recess would stay behind in the freshman cave forever, but, oh, was I wrong. I remember as a sophomore standing in between awkward Stu conversations and going to the snack bar just to fill my time. I always thought that those problems went away for upperclassmen, but I was wrong again. Trust me, recess is filled with even more shoulder bumping and even fewer apologies. During junior year, I always found myself wandering this space for what felt like the longest fifteen minutes of my life, even at every inconvenience and despite so much discomfort. I realized over time that the Stu wasn’t the place for me.

During my time in the Stu, I often felt overwhelmed and ignored in conversations. However, I also felt like I was missing something crucial when I didn’t go to recess. My day was incomplete without this shared moment with the rest of the school. Most people feel that the Stu provides an opportunity for connection and relief in the busy lives of Milton students. While in the Stu, I asked Nicole Cepeda ‘20 how she felt about this very place. When I asked her why she chooses to come here so often, she replied, “I have always gone to the Stu, whether it be to talk to people or to do work. I feel like it’s the place where I can find people, so I usually center myself here.”

I surveyed other students at Milton to see if they had similar or different reactions to the Stu. Of the 112 responses, 83% of them reported being in the Stu during their free periods, mostly talking with friends. Some of the respondents said the Stu is a place where they can ditch the responsibility of work and take time to relax and de-stress. Like no other place at Milton, the Stu gives students a sense of physical detachment from their work. However, the level of relief in the Stu depends on the time of day and the type of person. Almost 40% of students felt some pressure to go to the Stu during recess. Whether or not they’re introverts, the busy dynamic of recess is stressful and anxiety-producing.

The solution, I think, is to create more low-stress locations for students to interact on campus. It’s not that introverts dislike interactions altogether; it’s that we don’t have the functional spaces to interact. Despite all the space we have on campus now, there aren’t many alternatives to the Stu. We have Straus, often oddly arranged and occupied by seniors, and Cox, though any interactions are labeled “too loud” by the librarians. Milton needs to create more comfortable places for students on campus to interact, places that will allow us all to take moments to relax with friends in our already busy and stressful lives. Until then, you might still see me in the Stu during recess.

Mark PangDecember 3, 2019