Here is a good article about introverts - it is right on the mark. I feel introverts are often misunderstood; I know I have been - people assume that I'm being a snob, angry, or perhaps aloof, when it's nothing further from the truth. I also like the distinction between introvert and shy:

Introverts are not necessarily shy. Shy people are anxious or frightened or self-excoriating in social settings; introverts generally are not. Introverts are also not misanthropic, though some of us do go along with Sartre as far as to say "Hell is other people at breakfast." Rather, introverts are people who find other people tiring.

Extroverts are energized by people, and wilt or fade when alone. They often seem bored by themselves, in both senses of the expression. Leave an extrovert alone for two minutes and he will reach for his cell phone. In contrast, after an hour or two of being socially "on," we introverts need to turn off and recharge. My own formula is roughly two hours alone for every hour of socializing. This isn't antisocial. It isn't a sign of depression. It does not call for medication. For introverts, to be alone with our thoughts is as restorative as sleeping, as nourishing as eating. Our motto: "I'm okay, you're okay—in small doses."

Although I'm not as *shy* as I used to be (I think my job helped to overcome that), I will always be introverted. I used to think it was bad to be introverted, because the extroverts always seemed to be more fun and just better overall. I guess as you get older, you become more comfortable in your own skin and learn to like the traits you have developed over the years.