Everyone loves going places with their friends and loved ones. Sharing an experience like a movie or a concert with other people is really fun and can make your relationship with the people you're with stronger.
What many don't know is that the same goes for going to events alone.
I recently went to a concert alone. None of my friends were into the artist and though my boyfriend volunteered to go with me, I knew he would have been miserable in the big crowd, so I said I would be okay alone.
And I truly knew I would be. Ever since I couldn't convince my friends to go to a convention with me and went alone, I have been going to concerts, conventions, movies, and more on my own whenever I couldn't find someone to go with me.
But some of the people around me gave me weird looks. Why would a young girl willingly go out alone?
In the past, I used to think that if I couldn't find someone to go to an event with, it wasn't even worth going to.
However, this is a completely incorrect mindset. Think of it as spending some quality time with yourself and your thoughts.
Having some time to be alone while still focusing your attention on an activity can honestly be therapeutic.
Going to the concert, I made a day of it. I got myself frozen yogurt and walked around my city, really taking the time to treat myself.
Most people (myself included) never give themselves the proper amount of time to just breathe and take care of yourself.
And I didn't feel alone. Being alone almost always opens you up more to conversation with the people around you.
For example, while in line for the concert, I started up conversations with the people in front of and behind me. If I had brought a friend, I most likely wouldn't have met anyone new.
The same goes for when I went to LeakyCon alone back in 2014 and 2015. I had "con friends" that I would run into at panels and spend time with at events. But I didn't feel tied down to their schedules. I could go and do everything that I wanted to do without having to work around someone else's schedule. It really felt freeing.
I don't want to minimize how great it is to go to these events with friends. I just don't want anyone to think that no one wanting to go with them to something closes the door completely.
There are so many rewarding experiences waiting for you on your solo journey. It's just up to you to take that first step.
