[hocus pocus]

Skye is right, being quiet doesn't make you a loser. I used to be one of the quietest kids in school and something I used to think of was the quote, "Calm waters run deep." There's nothing wrong with being reserved. People tend to think that they have to fill every second of silence with conversation, and they don't. Quiet is refreshing and calming, too. Quiet people usually have more depth and insight than other people do, in my opinion.

I also agree in that people look at you after you've spoken because they're not used to you speaking. People used to do that to me a lot, but it wasn't a bad thing. I remember speaking up in class once, and then one of my classmates yelled, "Damn, she's smart!" I like the idea of trying to speak up more, whether that's in class or outside of class. I know it's easy to think that everyone is staring or somehow making fun of you, but try to remember that everyone is busy and they're most likely absorbed in something entirely different.