From the moment we arrive at college, we feel pulled in so many directions: rush this sorority, attend your floor meeting, join this club, go to office hours and take workout classes.
It is exhausting.
However, it is important to remember that your alone time is just as important as your social life. Alone time has so many health benefits. An article from VeryWellMind explains how alone time can help benefit your personal exploration, creativity and social energy.
“Becoming comfortable in your own company can give you the time and freedom to truly explore your own passions without interference,” according to VeryWellMind. “It can be a way to try new things, research topics that fascinate you, acquire knowledge, and even practice new methods of self-expression.”
Benefits to your personal exploration can help you understand yourself more. You will feel more accomplished as a person if you learn what you want to achieve and take action to meet your goals. It takes personal exploration to understand what you truly want to do.
Being alone can help boost your creativity. When you give your mind time to wonder and truly explore itself, you can find out so many new or different aspects of yourself. Relating back to the personal exploration aspect of alone time, allowing yourself to view your own creative side allows for you to feel more self-accomplished. By letting your creative side show, you can see for yourself just what your own mind can do.
Another important part of being alone is being able to save your social energy or recharge your social battery. Being alone and being with people are equally important, but you need both in order to gain the best experience. You can be exhausted when you are constantly with people. Being alone helps your brain recharge to be able to function in a group setting later on.
Being alone does not have to be just watching Netflix, although this is a great option! Some other activities include reading, painting, taking a walk or a long shower. Anything you do can be self-care if you consider it to be.
In your college years, it is so important to form bonds with people, join clubs or sororities and attend social events. However, remember that it is just as important to focus on yourself. Take care of yourself first in order to be the best you that you can be.