How Blogapalooza Proved That I’m Not An Introvert (And Saved My Writing Career)

To be blunt, I am a straight up coward in big rooms with many people. After I got the confidence burnt out of me in college, I would walk into networking events in my chosen career path of higher education and be at a complete loss for words and a complete loss of desire to try. Everyone knew everyone else, and since I didn’t go to the “right” grad program or wasn’t in a hiring capacity, no one wanted to talk to me. Accordingly, I started avoiding networking events and conferences in my field, and labeled myself an introvert.

Then I started going to sports networking events, and confident me came back. At the first Boston Sports Blogapalooza last spring, I was tentative at first, but lost the trepidation within ten minutes. I felt like I knew what I was talking about, and I was interested in hearing from my fellow attendees.

Confidence reinstated post-Blogapalooza, I started to sign up for networking events in higher ed and in general social media. Things quickly returned to the status quo: my glass of generic white wine in hand, I would stand in the corner after ten minutes of being intimidated by the discussion and attitudes around me. Or I would try to pitch in, even if they didn’t need the help. (I became really adept at unofficially filling in at registration tables and “admiring” scenic views out windows.)

Going into the third edition of the Blogapalooza on Saturday, I didn’t have high hopes. I had signed up to present during a panel, and was excited to do that, but I was so beaten down from my introversion that I didn’t know if I could work a room. Within a minute of walking in, I recognized three people. I turned the corner, and ran into more. Then I started talking to new people. Introvert? What introvert? I didn’t stop talking for five hours. I gave my panel, I did interviews with The Pulse Network and Comcast SportsNet New England, and I bounced from group to group.

Afterwards, it hit me: I’m not really an introvert. I just have been trying to fit in places I might not fit in. I might not be cut out for higher ed, much like some of my higher ed colleagues aren’t cut out to be a sports writer. You do best at what you’re passionate about, and I am more convinced than ever that I’m passionate about sports media.

Just a week and a half prior, I had remarked to a higher ed colleague that I felt like I am at a crossroads in my career: am I in higher ed technology or am I in sports media/social media? I need to choose one to throw all of my effort behind so that I don’t stagnate in either. At the time, I was leaning towards higher ed, and was entertaining thoughts of dropping sports writing all together.

But why would I dump the one field that is obviously the field that I am most comfortable with? There is a reason I can work a room at an event like Blogapalooza, and that I struggle in higher education events, that I feel like I’m welcome at one and feel like an outsider at another.

In some respects, Saturday’s event kept my career debate alive. It at least gave me more initiative to find at least a happy medium. And for that, I have to thank Joe Gill and his team for putting the event together and being such strong advocates for building a bustling Boston sports blog community; Chris Villani, Ken Fang, Kevin Paul, Kisha T, Ryan Durling, Amy Blue, Mike Riley, the BC Interruption crew, and the Days of Y’Orr crew for being so friendly and fun every time I see them; Kathy McDonnell for being my fellow social media panelist and someone that always makes me laugh; and Butch Stearns and Jess Camerato for interviewing me and being able to pronounce my last name.