I'm an Introvert When I Have Money and an Extrovert When I'm Broke
Published: November 24, 2025 • 8 min read
Back in high school, I learned about the MBTI personality types. I learned about it shortly after reading a book about the 4 temperaments (Sanguine, Melancholy, Phlegmatic, and Choleric), which then took me down a rabbit hole of learning more about personality tests.
I took the MBTI personality test and learned that I was an INFJ. When I read the description of an INFJ, weirdly I felt heard or seen in a way. It made me happy. Now if you've never heard about MBTI personality types, I suggest checking out this site to learn more about it. But the only thing relevant to this blog post is that the "I" there stands for introvert.
The Introvert Label
I've always been a mostly shy and quiet person, especially during high school. I tend to open up after a while though, and certain personalities bring out a crazier or more dramatic side of me quicker than others.
But you see, I stuck on to this label of being an introvert for so long until I came to Canada and the realities of survival beat that introversion out of me.
The Promise I Made
Before I came here, my parents were scared. The fees were obviously really high, and they just believed that there was no way they could afford the tuition and still take care of my other expenses for 4 years. They were scared but they took a chance on me and sent me here eventually.
I made a promise to them that I was going to use the skill that I had learned out of curiosity throughout my childhood, hair braiding, to start something. Perhaps a side hustle to support myself while in school.
Of course, my parents didn't want me to be worried about money. In my country, parents feel obligated to cover every single expense their child has until they graduate university. However, I understood that I had to find a way to support myself using the skill since it was sought after in Canada amongst Black people especially.
So I started a side hustle. You can check out the work that yielded here, but it's not something I'm doing anymore. Braiding hair required standing for 9-15 hours on average and it put a lot of stress on my body, stress I didn't realize I was experiencing until I stopped.
But it was a good experience for the following reasons.
Beating the Introvert Out of Me
Remember how I mentioned that the "I" in INFJ stands for introversion? Well, I had to beat that introvert out of me if I was ever going to succeed in finding clients.
I had to start speaking up. To random people. Who could be potential clients or lead me to potential clients.
I remember starting conversations with people on buses and exchanging socials with them, strategically adding the link to my side hustle's social media account in my profile. I was complimenting random people and starting up conversations anywhere and everywhere. The more people I knew, the better for me and my side hustle.
I even signed up for a vendor market at my university and sold hair extensions, trying to signal to people to come to my table. I even cooked suya (a Nigerian grilled meat delicacy) to attract people to my table, even if just to try the food.
The Two Priscas
Till today, there are people in my life who are convinced that I'm an extrovert. Then there are others who are convinced that I have zero social skills.
Deep down, I know my "extroversion" was born out of necessity.
I can confirm this because the moment I got a job that paid enough where I felt ready to let go of that side hustle, I started slowly going back into my shell. My introversion levels increased again, particularly since April this year. There were also some health factors at play, but that's a story for another post. However, it's largely been me and my computer against the world for most of this year.
Necessity-Driven Extroversion
But here's the thing about necessity-driven extroversion: it doesn't just apply to side hustles. It applies to any major life decision that requires you to bet on yourself.
And I'm about to make another one.
The Decision
I've got 19 more days till the end of my SDR Era and after then, I'll have to start looking for jobs. Before this era began, I was looking for jobs anywhere and everywhere, willing to pack up all my things and move wherever the job takes me.
However, on November 23rd during my morning walk, I had to reflect on my French learning goals. If I move to a part of Canada where I'm not able to use the language, I'm never going to reach proficiency level.
I'm tired of lying to myself that I will if I simply keep taking classes. I want to be put in that uncomfortable position where I'm forced to use the language daily. I want to get really, really good at communicating in French.
So I made the decision.
I'm moving to Montreal.
And now, I'm going to change the availability information on this website to reflect that.
Where exactly in Montreal am I moving to? No fucking idea. One thing I am sure of though is that if I don't make this move, I'll spend the rest of my life wondering how things would've turned out if I had simply bet on myself.
The Stakes Just Got Higher
Now, I live in Peterborough and my cost of living is fairly low, but that's about to change. And I still don't have a job.
You know what that means? My standards for the work I'm doing on this portfolio just got higher. I have now essentially rejected every and any job offer that does not allow me to stay in Montreal, so I had better get to work at really standing out to make sure it all works out.
The Fear
How do I feel right now?
Scared. Terrified.
I haven't told anyone. I don't want to tell anyone who's going to make me feel even more fear. I'll probably stumble on my words the first month or two. I'm definitely going to struggle.
But just like I made the promise to my parents before moving to Canada to figure things out, now I'll be making the exact same promise to myself. I'll have to figure things out because every other option is off the table.
I'm writing this down and putting it out there because I want to vocalize my fears in the hopes that they appear smaller.
Reminders to Myself
I want to remind myself that I moved to Canada without knowing anyone and I survived. It's going to be the same. I'll be fine.
I want to remind myself that I was terrified of the cold. I hear it's even colder in Montreal, but I'll survive.
I need to optimize the decisions I make now for the long run. You know, for the future version of Prisca.
Staying Focused
Since I made the decision, I've felt the pressure of acting. You know, start finding a place, start building connections now, start learning all about Montreal.
But no. That'll only distract me from my SDR Era.
I need to focus, so writing this out here is my way of confirming this decision. Also updating my website to only specify Montreal. There's no backing out now. I'll deal with whatever consequences this decision might have, good or bad. I'll figure out the details of this next step starting from December 13th.
Reactivating Extroverted Prisca
This decision puts me in a tighter financial spot, so once again I'm going to reactivate the extroverted Prisca.
She's going to walk up and talk to people, anyone and everyone. She's going to make mistakes but she's going to grow and learn from them.
Finding Balance
But more importantly, I'm going to try to find a balance between both the introverted and extroverted Prisca so I don't go running off into my shell the moment I get a job in the future.
This isn't just a nice goal. It's actually honoring who I am as an INFJ. INFJs are apparently emotional yet logical, introverted yet extroverted. Sometimes we might feel like we are two different people. But the truth is, both versions are equally real.
The girl who braided hair and talked to strangers on buses? That's me. The girl who spent months with just her computer? Also me. The girl about to move to Montreal and reactivate her extroversion? Still me.
INFJs are torn between their need to socialize and their need for time alone to think and recharge. Instead of fighting this duality, I'm going to learn to embrace it as a strength.
Connecting with people is important. And honestly? It actually makes me happy when I do it. I just forget that sometimes when I'm comfortable.
Looking Forward
I look forward to the uncomfortable first days in Montreal. The discomfort of leaving all my friends here. The pain of getting rid of a lot of stuff during moving because I can't take everything with me.
I can't achieve my goals without going through the discomfort. And if there's one thing I've proven to myself over and over again, it's that I can handle discomfort when the goal is worth it.
Montreal, ready or not, here I come!
As always, thanks for reading!