Auntie:

I totally do the corner thing. I need to have myself against the wall when I'm somewhere - movie theatres, lecture halls, restaurants. I tend to need at least one side of me to not have to worry about (so in planes, I need the window seat).

Surprisingly, I do well in crowds. I think I've learned how to make them a big blur - if there's sooooo many people moving about everywhere, then I think I just count them as part of the scenery. Except for the people in my immediate vicinity.

Like... I can sit at tables and stuff where my back isn't to the wall. But I get rather nervous and will not be very focused on the conversation or people I'm sitting with.