My Dates with Myself

I'm think I am an introvert, I probably always have been. I try not to shy away from it anymore because I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. Also, I think a lot of people misunderstand what introversion means. It can mean "a shy person" but I like to think that the psychological definition of introversion is much more relevant: 

"a person characterized by concern primarily with his or her own thoughts and feelings"

This makes a lot more sense to me; I'm not a quite person because I have nothing to say or I'm scared to say it but more so because I'm taking everyone's inputs in and assessing my own thoughts first. I'm the kind of person who doesn't need to have other people around in order to feel happy, energized or active. I'm perfectly content spending a weekend with myself, just going about daily life and reading a book or two (or 10). I like listening to my music and staring into space (or simply staring into space). 

On my recent trip to England, I found that I spent a lot of time touring by myself. While I made a lot of new friends and loved the people in my class, whenever we went to see London, I found myself drifting off by myself to have tea or look closely at a particular museum. I really did enjoy silently taking in everything around me and getting lost in my own thoughts. I found that personally, that's how I got the most out of my trip. 

I do that in Toronto too, all the time, and actually, I do more things by myself than I do with my friends (sorry friends, if you're reading this):

1. I've gone to the movies by myself. Let's face it, not everyone wants to watch the same thing as me and if they do, I don't want to wait until they have time in their schedule because I'm super keen about movies. Second, finding a seat for one person is much easier than finding a couple seats together. Lastly, I do not like sharing my popcorn, period. 
2. I've had lunch at a restaurant by myself. This can be intimidating, especially if you don't have your phone. It's as if people can't function in a public space without their phone anymore because they feel judged. However, I've found that it can be very rewarding to go and try out new food by yourself. And while you're at it, you can try Mindful Eating. This has really helped me experience my food and clear my head during a stressful week. 
3. I've gone to the ROM and AGO by myself! These two are really fun by yourself because you can actually take the time to read the information without feeling rushed by someone else who might not be interested in the same things as you are. Also, the ROM is free on Tuesday's for students so you can literally go in and explore a section a week. The AGO is free on Wednesday Nights from 6 to 9 as well!

Toronto is a busy place and that's why it's much easier to be alone here without feeling like all eyes are on you. Give it a try! Walk around campus by yourself (before the winter turns brutal) or venture off campus and find yourself window shopping down at the Eaton Centre! It gets harder and harder to coordinate times with friends as midterms approach but that doesn't mean you stop having fun. Let me know what kind of things you like doing when you're in your own world!