If there is one good piece of advice I have gathered in my 18 years of existence, it is that going solo sometimes does a lot of good. You might be thinking, "What? I would never go anywhere social alone! I don't want to look like a loser," but you would be wrong. The benefits of doing activities and experiencing new cultures independently far outweighs the negative thoughts you might be having. Who knows, you might even want to try it out after reading.

1. It builds confidence.

In most cases, the first time you go somewhere alone you will have to fake it because it is pretty scary at first. Once you build up some real confidence, it all becomes second nature. It is good to note that no one will judge you for being by yourself, in fact, they will most likely not even notice your presence. Also, there is nothing better than going to nearest AMC and strutting straight up to the ticket window to say, "Ticket for one please!"

2. People will think you are brave.

No matter how many times I tell my friends and family I am going out alone, they still look at me with a shocked expression and say, "You are going alone? You must be so brave because I could never do that." In reality, what you are doing is not brave, but you still sit there with a smug look and bask in the glory of the compliment.

3. You will find out what you truly enjoy.

Last month, I bought a ticket to an opera on a whim. I got all dressed up, ate a nice meal, and found a parking space in Downtown Cincinnati all by myself. The show was an amazing experience and without friends to complain about the opera, I formed my own opinions about the music. Turns out, opera is now my favorite activity, and I will be going to my third show next week. Experiencing new activities alone will allow you to figure out your own identity and what makes you most happy in life.

4. You can have a genuine experience.

When you are surrounded by friends and family, they can have an effect on your occasion. Going to the movies with others means you have to compromise and agree to a movie you might not really want to see; going alone means you get to pick your movie. When you are by yourself, you can laugh as loud as you please, cry your eyes out during a sad scene, and leave if you are bored. In other words, you can be yourself and not worry about getting judged or influenced by your friends.

5. You will want to it again.

Once you experience the joys of going solo, you will want to do more things by yourself. It started off with me going to the movies alone, and now I am planning a solo trip to New York next year. The solo experience is something everyone should enjoy from time to time. Now you won't hesitate to buy the concert ticket for your favorite band when all of your friends are busy.