We live in a society that has become so co-dependent that many people in social settings do not feel comfortable going to the bathroom without asking a friend to join them (If there is no one to ask, their phone usually becomes the next best thing.)
Going further than just a trip to the bathroom- some people our age would never dream of requesting a table for one and an audible gasp would be heard at the suggestion of seeing a movie solo.
But why? Why is the idea of grabbing a coffee alone and going to the mall unaccompanied by anybody to tell you they don’t like that top you just picked up a problem for us?
Some of the best times in life can, and do, happen with no one around to witness it but yourself. (That includes not sharing it with your phone as well.) Half of who you are as a person is who you are when there is no one around to see you. Or better yet, no one around to judge you.
The most important aspects of what makes a person’s identity is who they are as an individual. How often do we agree with a group of our peers when we really have no idea in hell what we truly think about the subject at hand? Take the time to learn what you think, what you feel, what you believe in--Horoscopes? Ghosts? Aliens? (Maybe think about politics and Fair Trade sometimes too.)
Sitting in a park alone and being able to hear your own thoughts is one of the better things that is commonly overlooked in life. Take time out to be alone; napping doesn’t count. Really, just get in your car, go for a drive and stop at any place that catches your interest. Not only does it make for a drama free time, you may find out things about yourself that you were not yet aware of.
This isn’t me saying stop eating lunch with your friends between classes but sometimes, we all just need a break. If college has taught me one thing about growing up it is that fact that as you get older your life really is no one else’s but your own.
So be a loner, go to the museum and decide which paintings you like and why, eat at that restaurant that you always thought looked good, see that movie that everyone else thinks is going to be boring, wake up early and watch a sunset just to get that feeling of "Wow I am such a small being, held down by an invisible force on a spinning rock –what is going on?" It really helps you gain perspective.
Live your life alone sometimes; I promise it isn’t as scary as it sounds. In the least cheesy way possible, your life is just that - yours. Life really is just one long one-seater roller coaster ride so make it a fun one and live for you sometimes, it’s only right.
