Reading - Multiple Matching

Option A: Lena – Office Life

I only discovered the term ‘highly sensitive person’ after I had already changed jobs twice. In open-plan offices, I’m productive at first, but by mid-afternoon my brain feels overloaded, as if every conversation has been turned up too loud. I now block out time for tasks that require concentration and I book a small meeting room when I need quiet. Colleagues sometimes assume I’m unfriendly because I skip after-work drinks, but it’s not that I dislike them; I simply run out of social energy. When I work from home, I finish faster and make fewer mistakes, which has finally convinced my manager that I’m not being difficult—just wired differently.

Option B: Marco – Relationships

In relationships, my sensitivity is both a gift and a challenge. I pick up on tiny changes in tone, so I often notice that something is wrong before my partner says a word. The problem is that I can overinterpret silence and start worrying too early. After a few arguments that began with me ‘guessing’ what she felt, we agreed on a rule: if I sense tension, I ask a simple question instead of building a whole story in my head. I’m also careful about how we plan our weekends. If we accept invitations on both days, I can seem cheerful at the time but end up exhausted, which isn’t fair on either of us.

Option C: Priya – Learning and Creativity

Being highly sensitive has influenced the way I learn. At university, I hated being put on the spot because my mind needed a moment to organise thoughts that arrived all at once. However, once I had processed new information, I usually understood it deeply and could connect ideas other students missed. That same trait helps me in my design work: I spot small details in colour and texture, and I can predict how a client will react to a product before they explain it. The downside is that criticism stays with me for longer than it should, so I’ve trained myself to write feedback down and return to it later, when it feels less personal.

Option D: Daniel – Daily Overstimulation

I used to think I was just ‘bad at coping’ until a therapist explained sensory sensitivity. Busy supermarkets are my worst environment: harsh lighting, loud announcements and people brushing past me make me tense within minutes. To avoid feeling drained for the rest of the day, I shop early in the morning and I wear noise-reducing earbuds. Friends laugh when I refuse certain concerts, but it’s not a lack of interest in music; it’s the volume and crowds that overwhelm me. Interestingly, I’m calm in genuine emergencies. When a cyclist crashed near me last year, I reacted quickly and clearly, while others froze—perhaps because my attention automatically takes in everything.

Option E: Sofia – Setting Boundaries

For years I tried to ‘toughen up’ because I assumed sensitivity was a weakness. What changed was learning to set boundaries without apologising. I still care about people, but I no longer agree to help at the last minute just to avoid disappointing them. I also plan recovery time after intense events, such as family celebrations, because I know I’ll need quiet afterwards. At work, I’ve asked to receive negative feedback in private rather than in front of the whole team, which has improved my performance instead of making me defensive. Some people will always label me dramatic, yet the more consistent I am, the more they respect my limits.