Describe Yourself

I can’t clearly remember the first time I was asked to introduce myself. It was probably one of those impromptu speeches in my high school English class. In college, self-introductions were a customary part of the first day of class. Beyond school, introducing oneself is expected in job interviews, beauty pageants, club memberships, and even when joining online social networks.

People ask this question for different reasons—sometimes to get to know someone when they don’t know where to start, other times to test communication skills and self-confidence.

Whenever I'm asked to introduce myself in an online chatroom, my usual response is, “Am I in a job interview?” I find the question ridiculous in that context, but then again, there are far more bizarre things happening online. Sometimes, I turn the question around and ask them what they specifically want to know.

I don’t remember how well I answered the first time I was asked to introduce myself. What I do remember is the sensation of my brain splitting in half, struggling to find the right words while feeling the red fluids trickle from my nose. Even now, I don’t think I’ve gotten any better at it. I still find it to be one of the hardest questions to answer. Ask me about Moses or global warming, and I’d be fine. But ask me to talk about myself, and I’d probably tell you that I’ve been asking the same question for the longest time too.

How would I describe myself? If I said, “I am a good person,” my blood would probably rebel against the statement, my heart would skip a beat, and my entire system would scream, “What did you just say?” But I’m not a bad person either. So, I usually settle with, “I’m just an average, ordinary, and simple guy.” But even that isn’t entirely true. I’m not average or ordinary in all aspects. The truth is, I feel too complex to sum up in a few words. What part of me should I share? Where do I begin? What comes next? And how do I end? All these questions only add to the challenge.

Most of the time, I feel like there’s nothing about me worth sharing. This is evident in my online social media profiles, where I rarely fill in the bio section. Some platforms don’t allow you to proceed without adding something, so I typically write “Just an average, simple guy” or “Just ask me if you want to know me better.” I know—annoying and vague self-introductions.

I’ve browsed through other people’s profiles, and many are great at describing themselves. Some keep it short and specific, while others write long, interesting bios. One of the boldest self-introductions I’ve ever read was from my friend Rain’s blog. His confidence is sky-high, but I know he can stand by every word he wrote about himself.

Self-confidence, understanding your audience, and knowing what they want to hear is key to a strong introduction. Maybe it’s time I give it another try.