When I was younger I used to become down right heartbroken at the sight of someone dining alone. I would ask my parent’s “do you think that they have friends who just couldn’t play today?” until it rang in their ears for the next week. What I didn’t realize then, was that just because someone is alone doesn’t mean that they are lonely.
College is a time where our angsty selves feel lonely all too often, but we are almost never physically alone. We study with friends, eat with masses of other Bucknellians, and deal with roommates who NEVER leave the room. We’re always engaged. We’re always on. We’re never alone. After all, there isn’t any time or space to be alone, right? Wrong. You just have to find it.
Go to the gym. Maybe your best friend is a 5 miles in 40 minutes kind of gal while you prefer to, shall I say, take your time? However long you decide to stay at the gym, when you go by yourself, the option is up to you. Get on the treadmill or elliptical, put on some jams and get in your zone.
Go downtown for a shopping spree. Meander down Market Street to discover the many little shops you never had time to explore with friends on your Sunday morning trips to Cherry Alley. Stop by the art store, Retrah, or Wilson Ross, and don’t worry about taking up anyone’s time when you decide to try on half of Dwellings’ inventory.
Find your own space in the library. Who said that the library was just for studying? Rather than annoying half of the East Reading Room, discussing last weekend’s shenanigans with all of your friends, find your own spot to procrastinate. There are so many hidden nooks and crannies, where you can get away for a bit.
Go to a random talk or lecture on campus. Check the Bucknell calendar. There are so many interesting things happening when we’re not out downtown or waiting in an absurd line for coffee between classes. Your friend isn’t down for that oddly specific lecture that you didn’t even know you were interested in? Even better! When you’re flying solo, you may even have the opportunity for a more personal conversation with the speaker after the event.
Go to a movie at the campus theatre. One of my week’s highlights has become going to the campus theatre for my class’ weekly film screening. There is just something about sitting down in an island of seats, in a dark room, alone. There is no one whispering about Grey’s body or asking you to pass the cookie dough bites. It is just you, the images and the sound.
And…when all else fails take a nap! There’s nothing quite like a nap to really get your alone time.