I’ve always been somewhat of an introvert. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with friends and having fun together. But my family and friends also know there are days and nights I want to myself. Even if I accomplish nothing and just relax for a night, it’s still a necessity for me once in awhile.

I feel as though there’s a stigma, especially in college, surrounding the concept of “staying in.” 

Some people may call you lame or boring. Others might say you’re a party pooper. 

Some nights, we stay in simply because we are swamped with homework and projects. Other times, it might be our bank account is shaking its head at us. 

However, there are days and nights when we just want to be by ourselves. 

There’s nothing wrong with that. 

The truth is we all need time to ourselves, and it’s not “lame” or “boring.”

Don’t feel bad about taking time for yourself. 

Sometimes it can be a huge stress reliever. You can wear whatever you want, eat whatever you want, watch whatever you want and do whatever you want. 

What’s not to love? 

I agree that having a good social life is important. But I also believe having alone time is just as important. 

We sometimes spread ourselves too thin by constantly surrounding ourselves with people. As a result, we’re tired and unproductive. Alone time can stop us from burning out because it allows for self-reflection. This gives us the exact refresher we need to get on with our lives.

I’m just here to say that you’re not a loser if you crave time for yourself. 

It’s natural to want that. 

Even the most famous celebrities and social icons crave alone time as much as we do. 

You don’t always have to be seen in order to be happy and fit in. 

You don’t always have to be a social butterfly to seem cool or popular. 

The time you spend with others can be full of laughter, a lot of talking and social activities. But time to yourself can be as “low-key” as you want it. 

Just remember, it’s OK to be low-key, and it’s OK to spend time alone. 

Sometimes that’s exactly what your soul needs.

 

Rachel Astleford is a nutrition & dietetics major at SDSU and can be reached at [email protected].