The one thing I heard about college throughout high school, especially from my parents, was that college is when you make some of your best memories and friends that will last your entire life. Naturally, I developed high expectations and envisioned my entire time in college to be filled with nonstop events and groups of people. What I didn’t imagine, however, was how lonely college can sometimes get. Even with the friends I’ve made, I still find myself spending a lot of time alone and I thought that maybe I was doing this whole college thing wrong. The truth is, this is the reality for most students. To be truly happy in college, you must learn to be with yourself. Here are some ways I spent my time alone and enjoyed it.
Music
Music was my biggest saving grace during my time alone. The key to not sending myself down a depressive spiral was to listen to upbeat music especially. I have the most fun by myself when I’m listening to upbeat Taylor Swift when I’m walking to class, around campus or just in my dorm. Although it doesn’t save the entire day, it greatly helps me to romanticize the world around me.
Hobbies
There are multiple hobbies I picked up and dropped while on my own. These included painting, reading, journaling, playing video games and taking walks. The ones that probably stuck the most are reading and playing video games. Never in my life have I ever been so obsessed with a video game as I have been with Stardew Valley. Aesthetic and wholesome, I’ve sunken many hours creating a whole virtual farm and I’m not ashamed of it. It is arguably the most fun thing to go on when I’m bored.
Binge-watching
I have found some of my favorite shows of all time during my time in college. The first show I ever watched here was Fleabag and it changed my entire perspective on life. I also watched other new shows such as Ginny and Georgia, Only Murders in the Building and Breaking Bad. I have also returned to many comfort shows such as Friends and Gilmore Girls when I need to turn my brain off and turn on something comfortable and familiar.
Staying in touch
Being alone in college has helped me maintain my important relationships from back home. I have time to call and talk to my close friends from high school and see what they are up to. I value keeping in touch with them and making time to stay connected. I have also been able to spend time talking to my family which is beneficial in curing my homesickness and finding out what is going on in their lives. FaceTime has played a massive part in maintaining contact and without the time alone, I would never be able to stay a part of their lives as much as I am.
Loneliness sometimes felt like the worst part about college and in some ways, I still feel that way. However, it’s just a part of college, like anything else, and I learned to value my alone time way more when I figured out how to use it correctly. College is all about finding yourself and I’m looking forward to enjoying the process for the next three years.
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