I can identify!

I'm a bit of an ambivert. I started out more introverted and have become more extroverted as I've gotten older, but still, big groups are overwhelming and I have all sorts of anxiety when it comes to meeting new people.

That said, I get so much out of time spent with friends--the people I really care about and connect with. It's better than almost anything else.

And then I need quiet time to recoup, and that's okay.

Like you, I value that time with friends more than I ever did. I also appreciate what I never had before--being able to go places. I wonder when that'll be a thing again...