Naturally, I have always been an introvert. I enjoyed being alone, I did not mind doing things alone, and it was something that never bothered me until I got to college.

For some reason, I felt like I suddenly should not be proud of being an introvert, that I needed to reach out to people or I would be alone forever. That I would not have any friends, and that I would be shamefully looked down upon when getting a meal in the dining hall by myself.

So I joined as much as I could freshman year, but making friends has always been a hard task for me. It takes a while for me to open up, but before I knew it I was gradually making friends, my kind of people. And before I knew it, I was involved in things I never imagined, like joining a sorority or taking on leadership positions.

But deep down, I will always be that introvert. As much as I try to stray away from that title and put myself out there, I am always going to value my alone time. And everyone should. There comes to be a point in your life where you need to be alone because being alone gives you the opportunity to grow.

Being alone allows you to reflect. When I am constantly busy and surrounding myself with people all the time, it gets tiring. As much as I love everyone in my life, I learned that taking time for myself is not selfish, it is needed. You should not feel like it is a bad thing to be alone, sit alone, do things alone. Have you ever attended a concert or play alone? It is not as sad as you think. It can actually give you a different perspective on enjoying activities alone.

Already two months into 2019, and I am starting to come back to my introvert ways. Honestly, it has been good for me. It has given me a chance to think about how I can be better. It has given me the chance to realize how I treat not only myself but others. I have been taking the time to give myself a little self-care, and a little self-love. Taking a walk alone on a trail sounds scary, but it actually gave me so much time to realize how I can be a better person.

Sometimes solitude is really good for your soul. Sometimes you just need to retreat to your room and have a night to yourself. Sometimes you need to leave a party or gathering early and get some extra sleep. Sometimes you need to take that hike alone, see a show by yourself, or treat yourself to a nice meal. At the end of the day, you need to realize that you need to take care of you.

So for anyone who is feeling like they need to be alone but do not know how just do it. Valuing your alone time is one step further to becoming one with yourself, and being a better you. Growth can be a lonely process, but growth can only make you better.