Good article and good points all around. I’ve pushed back on expectations to socialize for years. It’s not that I don’t like my colleagues. I do. But we all have families and more important things to do.

These poor event planners would be horrified at people who refuse to attend in-person conferences these days. If it isn’t virtual, I’m not going.

Makes sense, especially if one doesn’t like their co-workers. I work in a pretty tight-knit group so hangs after work are usually fun. For me, I’d say the deciding factor in attending post-work social events is: will I need to “act professionally” or can I just be my weird normal self?