How many concerts have you missed because your friends have different music taste? Don’t let that be an excuse anymore. When I was at Western, I flew solo to a Barenaked Ladies concert, which I was reviewing for the Gazette. My intention was to listen, enjoy and take notes. It didn’t matter who sat next to me.
Likewise, when award show season was at its peak in the winter and I needed to watch nominees, I waited for no one. I spent an afternoon at Cineplex Odeon Varsity theatre, treated myself to a Yogen Fruz smoothie (I’m addicted!) and never looked back. Still Alice is an introspective film about aging that I was content to watch alone and I didn’t feel an urgent desire to discuss it with anyone afterwards.
A new study from the University of Maryland found that many individuals don’t spend time alone in public because they fear what observers will think. It’s sad to imagine how people are missing out on opportunities to enjoy themselves simply because they value opinions of strangers.
Sometimes, such as on business trips, spending time alone is inevitable and room service is not always the best solution. Traci Melchor echoed this sentiment on an episode of The Social this week when she proclaimed, “I’m good company,” and she doesn’t want to remain confined to a hotel room when she travels to interview celebrities for eTalk.
I think we should ultimately strive to find balance between time spent alone and time spent in groups. If you’re stubborn about spending time alone, then let me borrow the words of Lainey Lui: “I love you, but get over yourself.”
Further Reading
Going out alone is more fun than you think (The Social)
Why You Should Go to the Movies (and Do Other Stuff) Alone (New York Magazine)