I don't classify myself as an introvert, but I definitely need introvert time in order to stay sane throughout my weeks. Most of the time, I don't have time to do that during the week. Sometimes I do, but rarely. Which is why I often take a night or an afternoon out of my weekend to just hang out and lay low. When I first started doing this, it kind of made me sad and I felt lonely. I also had major FOMO (fear of missing out), but I got over that pretty quick. Since then though, I have become dependent on my alone time. People often comment on the fact that I don't go out all the time, and at first it sort of offended me. I didn't think my personal life was any of their business, but I've learned to not let it offend me anymore because it's part of who I am. Because of this, I made a list of the top 8 perks of staying in on the weekends:
8. You don't have to shower.
To me, showering is such a pain. I'm not one to take quick showers. I've tried, but I just can't do it. If I could, I wouldn't mind taking showers at all. But if you stay in, there is no reason to shower! No one else is going to smell you, so honestly it would just be a waste of water.
7. You don't have to spend an hour getting ready.
On top of taking long showers, it takes my hair forever to blow dry, therefore making this process so much longer than it needs to be. After, it has to be straightened. Finally, I can put on my makeup. Luckily for me, I wear minimal amounts of makeup so that only takes me about five minutes. If you choose to not go out, you don't have to do any of this! It's awesome.
6. You can wear sweatpants, or no pants.
When you stay in, you can literally wear whatever you want. No one's going to see you! Wear whatever you want and be comfortable for once versus the uncomfortable clothes that are worn when going out.
5. You can catch up on sleep.
You could go to bed at eight if you wanted to. If you want to see how worn out and how much sleep you're actually lacking, don't set your alarm just to see how long you sleep. Classes, work and extracurricular activities wear you out. It's OK to want to sleep for a little while. You can sleep all you want when you stay in for a night.
4. Or you can catch up on any TV shows.
Binge watching a TV show is always a good idea. You can never go wrong when watching Netflix.
3. Bonding with your roomies.
Who doesn't love cooking dinner with their roomies and having a movie night? Open a bottle of wine and watch a sappy chick-flick that none of you have seen before and have a life chat. Nothing beats those nights.
2. Bonding with yourself.
Who cares if all of your roommates are going out? If you don't want to, are tired, or just don't feel like it, DON'T! You have no obligation to go with them. I also think that everyone needs to spend a little time with themselves once in a while. While in college, specifically in the dorms, that's definitely hard to do since people are always around you. But, if you make it a point to choose to sit around for a little while and read, watch your favorite movie or do some homework, it calms you down a little bit.
1. You can relax for once in your life.
Just because we're human doesn't mean we're meant to fill up every minute of our lives with responsibilities. You deserve a break. You deserve to relax. And when you have the opportunity to do it, do it! You won't regret your night to yourself.