Things to Do Alone Checklist
How Many of These Activities Have You Done Alone?
How many things do you do by yourself? I'm not talking about the obvious stuff like showering, masturbating, or swimsuit shopping, but actual out-in-the-wild activities typically reserved for couples or groups — like going to a boozy brunch, checking out a music festival, or visiting a foreign country.
I spend a lot of time alone. While I have many lovely friends and wouldn't exactly consider myself an introvert, I've always been pretty independent, and I enjoy punctuating my social time with moments of solitude. When I moved to San Francisco in my mid-20s, I learned pretty quickly that people's night and weekend plans fill up fast, and spontaneity is rare — it felt like if I hadn't nailed down a brunch group or movie date by midweek, my only options were to invite myself along on someone else's adventure or go on one of my own. So, I decided to say "f*ck it" and start doing what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it, all by myself.
The thought of waiting for a friend to get back to me about going to brunch — when I could have already been there finishing my first mimosa — makes my eye twitch.
I've gone to restaurants and museums and movies. I've run races, traveled overseas, and braved Ikea. I've even attended a wedding where I only knew the bride. I've become my own best friend and favorite date and met some really amazing people along the way. And for better or worse, there's no going back for me. To this day, I can't think of a bigger waste of time than waking up, knowing exactly what I want to do that day, and texting people to see if they want to join before doing it (truly, the thought of waiting for a friend to get back to me about going to brunch — when I could have already been there finishing my first mimosa — makes my eye twitch).
But enough about me — how many things have you done alone? Scroll through the checklist below to find out your score, and remember: there's no shame in spending time by yourself. And if you haven't tried any of these activities while solo yet, it might be time for you to choose your own adventure.
- Watched a movie in the theater
- Taken yourself to breakfast/brunch
- Eaten lunch at a restaurant
- Eaten dinner at a restaurant
- Drank at a bar
- Done a workout class
- Hung out at the park
- Hung out at the beach
- Attended a concert
- Attended a music festival
- Attended a wedding
- Taken a road trip
- Traveled to another city or state
- Traveled to another country
- Run a race
- Sung karaoke
- Gone wine or beer tasting
- Shopped at Ikea
- Taken a new class
- Toured a museum
- Gone to a fair, carnival, or amusement park
- Checked out a flea/farmers market
- Taken a camping trip
- Gone sailing
- Gone on a hike
- Gone out dancing
- Celebrated your birthday
- Had a spa day
- Done volunteer work
- Had a surfing session
- Gone horseback riding
- Attended a sporting event
- Watched the sunrise
- Watched the sunset
- Gone to pub trivia and joined a team of strangers
- Gone to a comedy show
- Visited the zoo or aquarium
- Assembled furniture
- Done a DIY project
- Gone skydiving
- Gotten a tattoo
- Watched a play, opera, or symphony performance
- Gone skinny-dipping
- Gone ice skating
- Attended a book signing/lecture/seminar
- Taken a bike ride
- Taken a ferry ride
- Played video games
- Flown a kite
- Visited a haunted house