How Being Alone Allowed Me to Love Myself

When I graduated high school, I was so relieved that it was over. I was ready to dive into college life and explore what the future had in store for me. I was excited to go to all the parties, make a lot of friends, and just be independent. However, college ended up being the opposite of what I had in mind.

I had a hard time making new friends who actually wanted to hang out. I was eating at the dining halls alone and seeing a group of friends eating together laughing made me even sadder. I went to the gym alone because no one was into working out. I would cry in my dorm room every week because of how unhappy and lonely I felt but one day I grew tired of it and decided to do something about it.

I came to a realization that depending on having friends was not going to make me happy. Building a relationship with myself is what makes me happy. I stopped thinking about how lonely I feel and started changing my mindset. I started meditating in the mornings, stretching, taking warm baths, and watching YouTube videos on confidence. I am now a fourth-year student and I am still alone but here’s the difference,: I am happy. I enjoy being alone and building a relationship with myself because I am my own best friend.

Being alone allowed me to appreciate what my body does for me and realize my worth. I am surrounded by positive energy and I believe that negative people or energy do not serve me. Back when I was a freshman, I thought that being alone was the worst thing in the world. But now looking back, I am so proud of myself and how far I have come with my mental health. I no longer let depression and anxiety control me, I am in control of my own feelings. I am thankful for being alone because it brought me an immense amount of love towards myself. Don’t be afraid to take yourself out! Don’t be afraid to do things alone. It’s okay to not have lots of friends. 

• self growth
• self-love