Halfway through my junior year of high school, I moved across the state of Pennsylvania. I transitioned from being one of those “outside of Pittsburgh” kids to being one of those “outside of Philly” kids. It wasn’t too much fun. It was hard to make friends when everyone was pretty much ready to graduate and get out of high school and their small town.
With the move, and before making friends in my new high-school, I realized how great being alone can be.
I feel like there is a stigma around being alone. With that, I feel that a lot of people feel uncomfortable going out to eat on their own, going to a movie alone, or even just going shopping alone. I, for one, was uncomfortable with it at first.
I was totally ready to explore this new town I was in; however, I was anxious to do it all by myself. I was scared of what people would think and that I would look sad sitting by myself at a table for two. After going to eat by myself a few times, though, I found that it was actually kind of nice.
I could order whatever food I wanted, I could think about whatever pleased me, I didn’t have to worry about keeping up a conversation, and could even bring work to do or play on my phone without being rude to a friend. I could go to see a movie – whatever movie I wanted – and then on my drive home, I could silently reflect on what I had seen.
I could drive myself wherever I wanted, and on the way there, I could listen to the same song five times in a row — on full blast — without anyone telling me to stop. I could people-watch, eavesdrop on bad dates happening across the way, and could watch the snow come down as I drank my coffee.
The possibilities when taking yourself out on little mini-adventures are endless.
There is something amazing about being able to sit on your own and think and reflect on anything and everything. When you feel comfortable enough to take yourself out to dinner or to a museum, and to explore and create a deeper connection between yourself and the world, you can’t help but feel empowered and confident.
While it is great to surround yourself with people you love, it’s also important to remember that being alone isn’t always a bad thing.