Jai Tries: Solo Adventures
Hannah this one is for you!
It’s no secret that there is no one's company I enjoy more than my own. I am literally that girl. I think I am so entertaining and clever and just fun to be around. So when Hannah asked me to write about solo adventures I knew that this was a topic I knew a lot about.
Now this might sound lame but, I do most things alone. I go to the movies, out to dinner, visit museums. If there's something I want to do I just do it…With or without a companion. My nightmare is missing out on something super fun and exciting. because I couldn’t find someone to do it with me.
I realize that not all people think like this. It can be scary to be somewhere public on your lonesome. It can feel super daunting and can cause very real anxiety which I get. I personally didn’t start doing things alone until I was in college and it was a necessity. I was skipping meals because no one wanted to go to the dining hall, sitting in my dorm on a Friday night because I was too nervous to be away from my roommate, leaving for class extra early so that I could find the perfect seat in the back. And it sucked. I hated how I was so uncomfortable in my own skin. So when we got back to college post quarantine. I decided to change.
I started small. Going to the mall by myself. I knew that the only way to conquer that fear was to face it. I would never get more comfortable being alone unless I practiced being alone. These days I will do literally anything by myself. A concert, a meal, watching a sporting event. I couldn’t care less! But I know it’s really hard to get started so here are three starter solo adventures I’ve tried and ranked based on how awkward they are. I have done each of these things myself and would recommend them to anyone wanting to get more comfortable with their own solitude. Try them all, try only one, do a combo. Whatever you do DO IT. Step one is just leaving the house.
3. Pretty Uncomfy: Having dinner alone
Having dinner alone is one of my favorite things in the world but I’m hesitant to rank it higher because it can feel really uncomfy. It’s hard to go to a restaurant and ask for a table for 1.
Here's my advice for dining solo
Bring a book. Reading while you wait on your food will definitely help pass the time and make things feel less awkward. It gives you something to do with your hands other than sit on your phone
Try and sit at the bar. If asking for a table for one feels daunting try and find a seat at the bar. Bartenders are typically pretty friendly and it’s less awkward than being in a booth. You might even score a free bev if you’re nice.
Start small. Your first solo dinner date SHOULD NOT be at a high scale restaurant. Try Chilies, Olive Garden, or another random chain restaurant first. Work your way up to the fancy stuff by getting comfortable at local dives.
2. Going to the zoo or a museum
I LOVE the zoo, museum, and the aquarium! They are some of my favorite places on the face of the earth! But it can be hard to find people that want to spend a Saturday looking at random animals or bones. These places can be a nice place to be alone because they are usually packed! There are plenty of people wandering around a museum on a Saturday so it’s less noticeable that you’re by yourself.
Here’s my advice-
Wear headphones. Wearing headphones can really help to settle your nervous system. Whether it’s listening to music or just shutting out the rest of the people. A calm nervous system will help to ease the anxiety that being alone can cause. I like to turn on a chill playlist and pretend I’m in a movie. Hit me up for song recs!
Make it a day. Have a nice breakfast first, pay for the animal experience, buy a sweet treat, ride the carousel, get a magnet. Make it a whole big thing. Do something you’d be embarrassed to do in front of someone else. NERD OUT! Have the best day ever!
1. Easy Peasy: The Movies
Going to the movies is the easiest thing to do on your own. I like to have an eddie, get a massive popcorn, the biggest Mr.Pibb they have, and get snuggly under a blanket. I don’t even care what the movie is I just like to be in the theatre! In the theatre no one notices that you’re on your own and it’s easy to forget that there are other people there. Take some time a see a movie in the theatre before we lose them to streaming!
Being alone is literally the best.
The more time you spend on your own the more you’ll get use to it. Before you know it you’ll be out and about on your lonesome without a second thought. Take your time and start small but START. Practice being solo dolo and live the life you’re meant to live without fear.
Hannah-Go to the movies by yourself and report back! I believe in you girl!
