Do you do things on your own?

Rhea Rose · 24-01-2016 09:56PM

Deleted User wrote: »

To be very honest I think they looked upon me with a kind of pity. They may have assumed that I had no choice but to do things alone as I was single. That's the strange kind of attitude they had. We haven't been friends for quite some time so they may have changed.

Some people just don't get it - especially if they thrive on being around other people 24/7, it's just a different way of being.

The most common thing I used to find was people assuming you were 'free' on a Friday night just because you didn't have plans with other people. You know, you'd get the 'ah sure you're not doing anything if you're staying in, come on out', and I'd be there 'well I am doing something - I'm staying in'.

AppleBottle · 24-01-2016 09:57PM

I enjoy going doing a couple of things of my own - going for a walks, around the town for a look, shopping. I actually enjoy my own company sometimes other times I do feel lonely when I'm at home and everyone else is out and about.

I've a few friends who love going to the cinema on their own.

AppleBottle · 24-01-2016 09:58PM

I enjoy going doing a couple of things of my own - going for a walks, around the town for a look, shopping. I actually enjoy my own company sometimes other times I do feel lonely when I'm at home and everyone else is out and about.

I've a few friends who love going to the cinema on their own.

24-01-2016 10:10PM

Chocolate girl wrote: »

Yes I think same with me. I've pulled away from a lot of them as I hated the comments of I could never do that alone! Each to their own but I would hate to have to rely on someone to do something with me.

As with most things in life it comes down to choice. If we choose to do things alone and are happy with that then we have a nice bit of contentment for ourselves. But the loneliness that can come from not having friends or people to share experiences with is horrible.

I remember when I moved out of home for the first time. I lived away when I was in college but that was different. This time I was starting my first real job and renting with strangers. That first year was the loneliest I have ever been. I was trying to make a life for myself in this strange city.

Everywhere I looked people were in pairs or groups, laughing, having coffee together, being a part of something. It felt like there was a pane of glass between everyone else and me. Of course things changed as they always do but I'll never forget that feeling of utter discontent and isolation.

tomwaterford · 24-01-2016 10:12PM

AppleBottle wrote: »

I enjoy going doing a couple of things of my own - going for a walks, around the town for a look, shopping. I actually enjoy my own company sometimes other times I do feel lonely when I'm at home and everyone else is out and about.

I've a few friends who love going to the cinema on their own.

The cinema on your own is the best!!

If your off any day during the week...go to cinema in middle of the day to a film that's out a while and go in and you nearly have the whole place to yourself

Dial Hard · 24-01-2016 10:18PM

I'm a very sociable person and a complete extrovert but one of life's great pleasures is going out for a meal with just a good book for company.

Chocolate girl · 24-01-2016 10:24PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

As with most things in life it comes down to choice. If we choose to do things alone and are happy with that then we have a nice bit of contentment for ourselves. But the loneliness that can come from not having friends or people to share experiences with is horrible.

I remember when I moved out of home for the first time. I lived away when I was in college but that was different. This time I was starting my first real job and renting with strangers. That first year was the loneliest I have ever been. I was trying to make a life for myself in this strange city.

Everywhere I looked people were in pairs or groups, laughing, having coffee together, being a part of something. It felt like there was a pane of glass between everyone else and me. Of course things changed as they always do but I'll never forget that feeling of utter discontent and isolation.

Totally agree. It's a choice we make for me as single parent with all my friends married or in relationships I choose to do many things alone otherwise I would be living a life of staying home alone. I often look at couples and feel lonely but that's life. I'm lucky that it doesn't bother me being alone but that's not saying if someone came along I wouldn't enjoy the company.

turnikett1 · 24-01-2016 10:29PM

I do many things on my own. Going for walks, going to the cinema, going to gigs, drinking by myself (not always of course! But sometimes...), going for meals by myself, etc

I also have a girlfriend and lots of friends. I spend lots of time with them too and my family, but sometimes I just need to go be by myself and smoke weed and do me things.

turnikett1 · 24-01-2016 10:29PM

dp

OldMrBrennan83 · 24-01-2016 10:31PM

This post has been deleted.

Badly Drunk Boy · 24-01-2016 11:09PM

I live alone and I'm single so I'd be in trouble if I didn't like doing stuff by myself! I've no problem going to gigs by myself, but again that started out of necessity when the few friends I have that are into the same music are married with kids so need a pass to be allowed to go out.

I've been to every Electric Picnic and I'd say for half of them, I went by myself, so that's a whole weekend without anyone I know.

There are over 400 people where I work but I'm in the smallest department. Myself, a girl and my manager (and his office is well away from mine), so even in work I'm alone a lot.

Medusa22 wrote: »

I'm not against travelling on my own but I get a bit anxious about going somewhere that I've never been before, especially if there was a language barrier and I am terrible at finding my own way around and navigating public transport so I doubt I'd be very relaxed.

I'm terrible at organising holidays but the last two times I left the country, I went to Slovakia and Iceland. Slovakia was a bit more of a challenge since I didn't know any of the language, but I still got on okay. In Ireland, I head off somewhere just because I've never been there, and stay a day or two.

When I go to somewhere I've never been before (whether abroad or in Ireland), I always go for a wander, walking for a good while before deciding that I've to try to find my way back. I'm usually good at navigating without a map (although I do love maps). It's a good way of discovering a place, and finding interesting stuff you'd never normally see. I doubt if I'd do that if I was with somebody else. ("I want to go there." "Some stupid website said that the food in this place is amazing.)

c_man · 24-01-2016 11:16PM

I've been on three foreign holidays by myself. Add to that I often go do my own thing (cinema, eating etc.). I don't have many friends, if I were to wait for them I'd do nothing!

kfallon · 24-01-2016 11:22PM

Do a lot of stuff on my own, I wouldn't inflict my company on others :P

languagenerd · 24-01-2016 11:29PM

The way I see it, if I always waited for other people to do things with me, I'd never do half the things I want to do. So I go for coffee or lunch by myself if there's a place I want to try, I go to the cinema alone when I really want to see something, I went to France by myself for a month when I was 19 because my friends weren't free at the same time and/or couldn't save up the money, went to Disneyland while I was there (which was a bit odd, granted) and moved to Scotland alone where I did my own thing for a year and saw quite a lot of the country. Obviously I travel with my friends too, I go to concerts with others, I go out for meals with people etc. But if there's something I really want to do and no-one's free to come with me, I usually go anyway. Better to go places and do things alone than not to go at all. And sometimes it's nice to be able to do exactly what you want and not have to explain yourself to anyone else anyway!

Dial Hard · 25-01-2016 12:20AM

Patww79 wrote:

I love going for a pint on my own but it's awful hard not to be a gob****e magnet.

Oh God, this.

Apparently my face in repose (and even while frowning in concentration at an academic journal article) says "Come talk to me, random freaks who think I need to be saved from my own company!"

Gael23 · 25-01-2016 12:28AM

Occasionally. Sometimes I prefer to do things on my own schedule and not have to fit my plans around anyone else.

freshpopcorn · 25-01-2016 12:32AM

I can do most things I enjoy by myself.

colossus-x · 25-01-2016 01:41AM

I always go to the cinema on my own. Not because I have no one to go with but I prefer it that way. I can sit where I want and go when I want without making arrangements. I prefer to sit in an aisle seat. On one rare occasion I went with an overweight friend he insisted I push in off the aisle to accommodate him so he'd be more comfortable. I refused and we both sat in an aisle seat in separate rows so we weren't really together. Pointless.

I love to go for long walks and I usually have my headphones with me. I ramble and walk wherever I fancy. Couldn't do that if I was with someone.

I cycle a lot also. When I see 2 cyclists cycling 2 abreast I always think to myself WHAT is the point of that ? I don't get it.

In my heyday I would go out on the town on my own. Wouldn't necessarily go back home on my own though.

colossus-x · 25-01-2016 01:42AM

I always go to the cinema on my own. Not because I have no one to go with but I prefer it that way. I can sit where I want and go when I want without making arrangements. I prefer to sit in an aisle seat. On one rare occasion I went went with an overweight friend he insisted I push in off the aisle to accommodate him so he'd be more comfortable. I refused and we both sat in an aisle seat in separate rows so we weren't really together. Pointless.

I love to go for long walks and I usually have my headphones with me. I ramble and walk wherever I fancy. Couldn't do that if I was with someone.

I cycle a lot also. When I see two cyclists cycling two abreast I always think to myself WHAT is the point of that ? I don't get it.

In my heyday I would go out on the town on my own. Wouldn't necessarily go back home on my own though.

Azalea · 25-01-2016 02:01AM

Tbh I wouldn't go for dinner (unless I had to, e.g. staying in a hotel for work)/on holidays/to gigs alone. To me, these are social situations (that's just my opinion though).

However, anything else - cinema, coffee/quick bite to eat, pint in the local (but not a night on the town), for a run/walk, I would do - and sometimes prefer these things alone.

Cupcake_Crisis · 25-01-2016 02:20AM

I never used to, I'd always find someone to do something with. But since I've moved I've had to get used to my own comp and really don't mind it anymore. It's peaceful.

mzungu · 25-01-2016 02:41AM

I do pretty much everything alone, walking, hiking, cycling and travelling etc. There is nothing quite like the bliss of solitude.

25-01-2016 09:41AM

Yea I do a lot with other people. In my home life and family and relationship. And in my social and political and community circles. So I do not only like doing things alone sometimes - I actively NEED to. I would go mad if I did not.

Most of the things I do alone are at home. Working in the garden or kitchen - or going running, cycling, training, swimming, meditating or whatever - or indulging my fetish for DIY.

Aglomerado · 25-01-2016 03:19PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I do almost everything on my own. It's lovely. I go on holidays, sit in old man pubs with my book, eat, exercise, shop, it's mostly on my own.

I used to be friends with some women who were incapable of spending time in their own company. If their husbands were away they had to stay with their parents for the night. One couldn't drive so was completely dependent on her husband. That kind of mentality baffles me.

I can't help but wonder about people who can't be alone. Are they afraid of themselves, of their own minds that they need constant stimulation from others.

I see this all the time. There's a large cohort of people (men and women) who can't walk into the canteen at work alone: they've to ring around so their chums are ready to go when they are. I'm happy enough on my own with a book or the paper.

I go abroad at least twice a year by myself, usually alternating them with trips with friends. Last year, the Camino and a music festival in France, the kind of things my friends are not interested in. I love going to a bar, ordering a pint and nestling into a corner with the E-reader. Whenever I'm in Dublin I go to the Porterhouse for a couple during the day.

We're led to believe that doing things alone is "weird" ... but in reality there are many people who need more space than others. I still struggle sometimes with the "weird" label, especially as my family usually exclaim "On your OWN??!!" when I inform them of my latest plan.

I do enjoy group activities, particularly hillwalking and book clubs, but love my own space too.

I'm single as well. Relationships don't suit me, they're too demanding of my private space and time. But I'm Ok with that.

magicmushroom · 25-01-2016 04:50PM

I do quite a lot by myself.

I couldn't bear to go shopping with someone else - I would feel rushed and wouldn't enjoy myself.

I live by myself so am very used to my own company (I do have a boyfriend and friends though). My family are all in the UK so I have grown quite independent in the last few years.

My boyfriend plays golf a lot so in the summer, I might drive out to Ardgillan Castle and sit in the gardens there with a book, get some lunch etc...I love it. Being alone is great in the right doses...I have experience being alone too much and that can be very hard...one of my worst fears is ending up lonely when I am older and can't get out.

I would happily go to the cinema by myself, I did when the last Harry Potter came out! No one to steal my popcorn or Nacho's, bliss

I am into hiking but don't know any others that are so yesterday I went out with a group of complete strangers - had great craic!

So yeah, doing stuff alone is great - just so long as it's not all the time. Company and social interaction (not the Facebook type) is just as important as 'me' time.

I have a personal goal to go to Austria by myself on holiday for some sight seeing, I've started saving...maybe next year!

eviltwin · 25-01-2016 04:54PM

Went to a gig on my own last year. A friend was due to come with me but couldn't at the last minute. I nearly didn't go but then said no, I've paid good money for this ticket, I'm going no matter how much of a Billy no mates I look. In the end I had a great night.

magicmushroom · 25-01-2016 04:55PM

Aglomerado wrote: »

I still struggle sometimes with the "weird" label, especially as my family usually exclaim "On your OWN??!!" when I inform them of my latest plan

I get this too - my sister recently told me I am 'very eccentric' - when I asked why she said it's because I live by myself, like to go hiking and talk about going to Austria on holiday alone

RobertKK · 25-01-2016 06:12PM

I live alone, work alone on my farm but the dog, cats and cattle are good company. Love being out in the fields on a nice day in the peace and quiet with the lovely scenery.
Going on my holidays alone, which is so good, you can decide what you want to do and not have to be concerned about doing something someone else wants, yes that sounds selfish and it is, but on the other hand you don't have to be concerned for the person/people you are with when it comes to them enjoying themselves.
My sister is surprised that I will go on holiday alone, as I said to her, I live alone and I do near everything else on my own and I cope fine...and going on one's own can be used to hide the cost of a very nice holiday that two people going together might not be able to afford, I don't say that last bit...

Diabhal Beag · 25-01-2016 06:19PM

I treasure the time I get on my own. From the time I wake up to the time I go back to sleep I only get to have a shower to myself. Breakfast, drives, work, lunch, football is all people time. Have to listen/pretend to listen to other people.

When I can sly for a drive at the weekend, go gym or head to a match I love it because I get time to think without other people moaning about their problems. I'm well aware that too much me-time can be pretty bad.

lisasimpson · 25-01-2016 08:03PM

Im in the position where its becoming more and more common to do things on my own..guess that's what happens when your a single thirtysomething with your family living in a different part of the country... somethings I don't mind doing on my own ie cinema, shopping but I would like to have more company for brunch, nights out and going to gigs

Do you do things on your own?

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