I'm An Introvert Who Spent Years Trying To Make Friends. With 1 Change, I Suddenly Had Dozens.

The author (second from the right) and book club members at one of the group's regular Saturday meetings in September 2022.

I consider myself an introvert. Attending a networking event at a restaurant to make small talk with strangers in hopes of making lasting connections is one of the most frightening things that I can imagine doing. 

But for years, I did exactly that: I tried rubbing elbows with other public affairs professionals at stuffy bars that marketing pros had transformed into glamorous venues.