There is something quietly romantic about walking into a coffee shop alone. You order your drink, find a seat by the window and watch the world move around you. No one is waiting for you, no one is depending on you. It is only you and the sounds of life in the background. In that moment, independence feels less like solitude and more like a gentle act of self-love.
We grow up believing that experiences are meant to be shared. Movies are better with friends, dinners are meant for two and milestones feel incomplete without an audience. Yet, there comes a point in life when we must learn to be our own company. To sit in silence without needing to fill it. To take ourselves out without apology. To enjoy our own presence without explanation.
Being independent is not a declaration of loneliness. It is a choice to live without waiting for someone else to make the moment matter. There is power in doing things alone, whether it is grocery shopping on a Sunday morning or buying a single ticket to a movie. These moments remind us that we are whole, even when no one else is around to see it.
At first, being independent can feel a little weird. There will be dinners where everyone else seems to be laughing with friends while you sit alone, scrolling through your phone. There will be weekends when campus feels too quiet and you wish you had plans.
But after a while, something changes. You start to actually enjoy the peace and realize it is kind of nice to do things on your own. You get to think, recharge and figure out what you actually like without anyone else’s opinions getting in the way. Suddenly, spending time alone does not feel so lonely anymore.
Learning to enjoy your own company is a kind of confidence that comes with time. It is realizing you are okay, even when your phone is dry or your plans get canceled. It is knowing you can still have a good day by doing things that make you happy. Being independent means you can do what you want, when you want and without worrying about what anyone else thinks.
Being independent is not about being alone; it is about getting to know yourself. Once you stop being scared of doing things solo, you realize how nice it feels to just be at peace with your own company.
Maybe real independence is not walking alone. It is walking with yourself, grabbing an iced coffee and realizing you are actually pretty fun to hang out with.
Show us how you spend your solo days and tag @VALLEYmag on Instagram!
This is one of the clearest explanations I’ve seen. Thanks!