Spending Time Alone In College

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at South Carolina chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

As a sophomore in college, I have spent a lot of time alone. At the beginning of my freshman year, I spent most of my days by myself, struggling to make friends, and constantly wondering if anyone else was in this position too. I transferred to the University of South Carolina after moving away from my hometown only a few months prior. I didn’t know anyone there, so the only person I really had was myself. At first, I hated it and I had no idea what to do. I felt socially behind, lost, and bored, with no direction. Then, one day, I decided I was sick of feeling this way and decided to take the first steps towards turning the loneliness into personal growth. I realized the time I spent alone could help me understand who I am and learn more about myself. It was challenging at first, but it made me gain a new understanding of the importance of quality time by myself. Alone time fuels self-discovery in your college years.

In this article, I’ll be listing different things I did during my freshman year of college that helped me adjust to my new life and become comfortable being on my own. I hope this article finds you when you need it most!

“Being alone allows you to access yourself as the complete person you already are.” -Psychology Today

College can feel scary and lonely because you are more on your own than you have ever been, which is intimidating. Psychology today compliments alone time by saying,  “Being alone allows you to access yourself as the complete person you already are.” I think this is true. Figure out what you like and what you don’t. Experience new things, don’t be afraid to fail, and be your own best friend.

unplug

The first step in creating positive time spent alone is time away from doom-scrolling. Yes, I am guilty of aimlessly scrolling on social media, but that is how I know it is so much better when you are off your phone! Doom-scrolling does not do anything beneficial in your time spent alone. I recommend putting your phone down and grabbing a pen and paper. Turning off all the outside noise and writing down exactly how I feel always helps me get in touch with myself and my emotions. Writing down your feelings to acknowledge them, instead of suppressing them, is the best first step in being okay in your own company.

Make A Bucket list

College can be stressful and repetitive. It is hard not to fall into a slump of loneliness and dread when every day starts to feel the same. I like to write down lists of any goal that I can imagine; a list of places to study, a list of coffee shops to try, movies to watch, and hobbies to learn. I treat these detailed lists like a game for myself, and I check off as many of them as I can. This gives me the ambition to do things on my own and change my routine!

Find your inner child

Another great way to be content with being by yourself is to have fun on your own. Think about all the things you loved as a kid; I loved to dance, sing, and express myself in any way I could. Even if it is for 10 minutes alone in your room, why not dance your heart out to your favorite song? Sing in the car if you have one and drive aimlessly! Do what you loved as a kid because that version of you still exists!