Results showed that shy emerging adults, both men and women, had more internalizing problems (anxious, depressed, low self-perceptions in multiple domains), engaged in fewer externalizing behaviors (less frequent drinking), and experienced poorer relationship quality with parents, best friends, and romantic partners than did their non-shy peers. The links between shyness and internalizing and relationship problems were well-established in childhood and adolescence, but these associations were found to extend into emerging adulthood as well. Correlates of shyness and emerging adulthood are not all negative; specifically, shyness may serve as a protective factor against participation in risk behaviors. Shy women may experience the same challenges faced by men. These findings have implications for parents, teachers, and practitioners to begin helping shy individuals at a very early age to deal with their anxieties so that negative outcomes can be avoided and positive outcomes promoted. Data were collected from participants in a study of emerging adults and their parents entitled, “Project READY,” (researching emerging adults' developing years). The sample used 813 undergraduate and graduate students recruited from 6 college sites across the United States. Tables, references