College can be a very exciting time and it can be a ton of fun to meet all kinds of new friends, but sometimes all the socializing can actually get quite tedious. Sometimes, the constant stimulation can be so overwhelming that all you want is some time to yourself to clear your head. If you are attending a big school like University of Maryland, it can be difficult to get away from everybody, but it’s not at all impossible. Here is how to find alone time in college.
Scope Out a Secret Spot
Sometimes finding alone time is all about scouting out the best places to hide. If you like being outdoors, then you might want to find a peaceful park or hiking trail. If you like to be indoors, find a library or cafe that none of your friends know about, or you could just go to the movies on your own from time to time. Whatever it is that makes you feel recharged when you get tired of being around people, find somewhere to retreat to for some well needed solitude.
Take up an Individual Exercise Regimen
It’s important that you try and stay fit while you’re in college, because you’re going to be spending a lot of time sitting in classes, studying, and writing papers. If you’re looking for some alone time, why not work out at the same time? You can find a nice trail for jogging, cycling or hiking – or you can take up swimming. You could also just go to the gym and keep your earbuds in so that nobody bothers you.
Make an Agreement with Your Roommate
If all you want is a little bit of alone time in your own dorm or apartment, then you may just need to work out a schedule with your roommate. There’s a good chance that they would really like to have the space to themselves on a regular basis as well. So you might want to see if you can each claim one or two evenings in the week when you get the space to yourself or you give the space to your roommate.
Don’t be Afraid to Say No
Are you ever hanging out with a person and all you can think about is the fact that you would really just like some peace and quiet? If that’s the case, then you shouldn’t feel rude about asking for a little bit of space. It may feel mean, but most people aren’t that sensitive and if you don’t have anything that you need to accomplish with that person, then there’s no harm in just telling them that you need to go do something else. Just rip the bandage and move on.
Go Exploring on Your Own
If you just want to see some new scenery, then you might want to jump on the nearest bus or train and go discover something new in town. You may even want to leave town for a day. Sometimes you just need some time by yourself to take in the sites so that you can clear your head and get some respite from the doldrums of the daily routine.
