What’s it like to be the quiet kid in the back of the class? Does it get frustrating- wanting to share your opinion, but you don’t want to just blurt it out there? Why is it frightening to stand up in front of the class? Why are you so opposed to doing things with other students- and talking, and just being a part of, I don’t know, society? Not that any of that’s a bad thing- all so called “quiet” kids are different in their own way. There are some things they do- but there are other things that they just aren’t comfortable with. And there really isn’t anything you can do about it.
Being a “quiet” kid myself- I can tell you what it’s like. It’s lonely, when you’re in a room full of people you barely know. There’s no one to talk to, and you feel invisible- ignored. But even though that may be the case- it’s better that way. As long as we’re not bothered, we’re fine- we’ll get our work done, and be a good student. However, bothering us- we get pretty ticked off, and annoyed. “Quiet” can be a term for just being shy- however, that’s not always the case. Being quiet is a choice- and if you’re shy, well, I guess it just adds on to the whole quiet thing. Some of us are only trying to keep our heads down, and to stay out of everyone’s way- and hoping that the class will get over with, so the end of the day can come quicker.
When you’re basically thrown into a room with a bunch of strangers, you’re not going to want to yell your opinion at them. The whole point of being “quiet” is to be quiet (please keep in mind that this only refers to school- outside of school is a different story). Sure, we have our thoughts on things, but when everyone else in the room has something to say- why bother? You can call it lazy, or basically whatever you want- but chances are, out of the twenty some other kids in the room- our thoughts have already been said. And to tell you the truth, sometimes it’s frustrating. When someone says something, and you have a strong opinion- I mean, who doesn’t want to say something? But if we do say something, we’re bombarded with questions- and what if we’re scared? What if we don’t want to hear what our peers have to say in return? It’s called being insecure, and the only way to cure it, is to let us grow out of it on our own.
Most of us are different (that’s the wonderful word we’ve stamped ourselves) we’re not usually out going, we’re not always smart, we don’t know how to deal with those talkative, bubbly people we’re most likely seated next to in class. We’re artistic (this word doesn’t just pertain to being able to draw sufficiently). We’re the kids who play an instrument- or write like helpless children trying to reach a dream they can’t remember. And yeah, if we’re lucky, we can draw like no one else. Quiet is only a word that ties us down to one place because of our fears- but if we could, we would fly.
Remember the days when your dream was to be an actor/actress, or a professional singer? And you’ve convinced your five year old brain that that’s what you really want to do…but that dream soon ends when you actually have to get up on stage? Talking in front of the class is just like that- for some people, it doesn’t bother them at all, and that’s great! But for those of us who’d rather die than stand up, walk to the front, and speak to the class- it’s a living nightmare. Public speaking isn’t meant for everyone. So if that “quiet” kid in the back of the room gets this look on their face that says oh great, now what am I going to do? or something along those lines- the other kids need to be supportive, and quiet- and they need to at least act like they’re listening- but don’t get your eyes glued to the person who’s about to have a heart attack. That just makes it ten times worse.
Group activities- the pairing of alike and unalike students. The whole thing depends on the class, and who your group is (now, keep in mind that this only refers to school- outside school behavior is a different story- a.k.a. a job). It’s not that we (as in, the “quiet” ones) are opposed to doing things with our classmates- but who’s to say we get along with these other people? Why is it so important to be vocal- to voice our thoughts- is it even fair to expect more of us that we can give? No, it’s not. Being quiet is a part of our personality- and we get to chose when being “quiet” is enough. Pushing us to enter contests, or groups or to talk in front of the class isn’t going to do anything unless we want to change. Like I said before, the whole point of being quiet is to be quiet.
Quiet kids are usually seen as loners- or whatever you’d like to call them. I think that out of all the stereotypes- quiet kids are the most affected. Oh, he dresses differently- or her music is weird etc… And you wonder why we don’t talk. So what if we’re a little different? Everyone is, it’s not just the quiet, scary, unapproachable ones- I mean, for all we know you have some sort of strange fetish. The quiet ones are a part of society- they play their own little roles, in their own ways- but we don’t have to be social to do so.
So there you have it- what it’s like to be in the back of the room. And although life- the real world; reality- doesn’t work in our favor most of the time, because your voice has to be heard- and as frustrating, and as frightening as that may be- being quiet is a part of who we are, and so we adapt. There isn’t anything you can you do about it- not unless we choose to do something ourselves. So don’t bother, you’re just wasting your time.

Isa Newbury