During the school year, we rarely find ourselves alone. Throughout the first year, we have roommates, hall mates, or suite mates. The following years we continue the tradition by having apartment mates, house mates, or even just close neighbors. Even if you have a single, there are most likely people within the vicinity. The summer, however, is a different story. If you are staying at school, there are significantly fewer students. If you are home, your family can be busy, and everyone is doing their own thing. And if you are off at a job or internship, you are likely in a similar boat.

It isn’t that staying home alone is foreign to us, as we likely have been doing this since we were like 12. But regardless of how much of a pro you are at spending the night alone, there are still stages that we all experience:

Stage 1. The Excitement

Being home alone means you can do whatever you want. You control the TV, temperature, and noise level. Everything can be done on your timeline, so why wouldn't you be ecstatic? The night is completely yours and your opportunities are endless.

Stage 2. Saying Goodbye

The goodbye process could go a few different ways. Whether you have been waiting for the departure of your roommates for weeks and you can't wait to see them off (only temporarily, of course) or your family is leaving you for a fun weekend and you are holding back tears because you feel left out, the goodbye should be kept short and sweet as to not bring you down before your big night in.

Stage 3. Getting Started

Part of being home alone means that you get to pick what to eat, free of judgement or conflict. No one to oppose your dinner suggestion. No one to make fun of your cooking. So, you aim high, because tonight, the options are endless.

Stage 4. Settling in

You picked your food, you picked the show you plan to watch for the rest of the night, and you are set right?

Stage 5. The Loneliness

At this stage, you are starting to realize that maybe being alone isn't all that great. Turns out you actually really like living with other people, and alone time is kind of lonely. Or maybe you aren't. Either way, you are trying to make yourself think you aren't lonely.

Stage 6. The Paranoia

As it gets darker and darker outside, suddenly you remember all of those horror movies. So, you close all the blinds, lock all of the doors (several times, probably), and curl up in a ball because someone is obviously coming to get you.

Stage 7. The Reassurance

You have to tell someone that you are about to be eaten by that monster under your bed, so you call your best friend or mom or someone and have them reassure you that you aren't going to die.

Stage 8. Going to Bed

At this point, you are a little freaked out. But, you might as well go to bed. You know there is nothing out there to get you, so why can't you sleep?

Stage 9. The Defensive Stage

There is no time to sleep; you are under attack by the shadows of cars that drive by and the noises coming from the air conditioning. Party is over and you are under lockdown now. No one is getting into your apartment now. You have set up every defensive barrier that you can find, turned on every single light you can find, and you are waiting for any intruder with your keychain pepper spray and the not-so-sharp steak knife that you found in the kitchen. Now you just sit and wait.

Stage 10. The Morning

Eventually, the sun rises again (whether you slept or not) and the monsters seem to have disappeared. You really have no idea what you were afraid of in the first place. You protected you abode with dignity and no one broke in because of your valiant efforts.

Stage 11. The Reunion

Whenever your roommates or family return you hug them and never let them leave again. Or you stay cool and pretend you weren't afraid at all.