23 Things Real People Do To Make Alone Time Awesome

An intro to keeping your own company.

We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us their best tips for making time alone awesome. Here's what they said:

1. Talk to your favorite fictional characters.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @biblioxmaniac

"If I'm writing a short story or imagining one I say their lines aloud. Most of the time I forget who really I am and I become someone else."

—Lorena Balcázar Rodríguez, Facebook

2. Take a boozy bath.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @paris2provence

"Step 1: Run a hot bubble bath.

Step 2: Make sure your alcohol of choice, music device/a good book are within reach of said tub.

Step 3: Lie in tub, drinking at a leisurely pace and warming up water as necessary, for two to three hours."

—Rianna Robinson, Facebook

3. Read a book in total silence.

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"I have a six-year old who has a very active imagination and a couple of imaginary friends. And a husband who has the urge to fill every silent moment with talking or noise of some kind, and likes his video games loud.

Silence truly is golden for me."

—Charlotte Marie Stevens, Facebook

4. Try traveling alone.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @ahmet.u.unlu

"Traveling alone is amazing. It's the best way to get to know yourself, and other people, if you choose to. It's a wonderful way to learn to be alone, and to rely on yourself."

—Jen Price, Facebook

5. Just sit quietly with nothing — not even your phone or a book — to keep you company.

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"Be completely alone. Sometimes I like to go in my den with no TV, cell phone, books, or anything and just sit down and kinda lose myself in the silence. It's hard at first to get used to doing NOTHING but its really freeing when you finally get to the point when your mind isn't racing. Eventually 30 minutes pass by like nothing and you'll feel so refreshed and relaxed, even for a moment."

—Stephanie Kay Rindorf, Facebook

6. Take yourself on a date and enjoy not having to make conversation.

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"I take myself on dates to the movies and dinner. It's so relaxing to not have to worry about holding up a conversation. You just sit there by yourself and take in the world."

—Stefanie Nicole Ward, Facebook

7. Watch bad horror films on Netflix.

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"It's hilarious."

—Amalie Poulsen, Facebook

8. Play video games until further notice.

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"I just play Tomb Raider for as long as I possibly can until someone in the house threatens to delete my save file."

—Stella Burnett, Facebook

9. Put your phone on airplane mode, download a podcast, and wander.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @poet_state

"Download a good podcast and walk around the city until your feet are tired. Take streets you've never been down before, grab a coffee from that place you always pass but have never ventured in, put your phone on airplane mode, and just wander."

—Robyn Collinge, Facebook

10. Hole up in your favorite coffee shop.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @sallytamarkin

"I love a good corner in a quiet cafe, reading/sketching for hours and hours. It becomes such a habit, several baristas in various different coffee houses remember my orders and seat on sight."

—Jane Revevalin, Facebook

11. Do some sewing while watching TV.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @phguider

"Mom taught me well about sewing and to my surprise, all my clothes need a fitting or a revamp every once in a while. This along with my fav playlist or show on TV."

—Denisse Aguirre, Facebook

12. Get all dressed up and enjoy having nowhere to go.

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"I usually do my makeup and hair in a full glam look."

—elviirakairamo

13. Be your own therapist.

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"Alone time is the best time to process all of your thoughts, even the crazy and unsettling ones, because you finally have your full attention and aren't distracted by other people or events going on around you!"

—graceh4301c082b

14. Do whatever you're embarrassed to do when other people are around.

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"First thing I do: put on music as loud as you want to and have a dance party for yourself. Just crazy dancing."

—AvengersAssemble1

15. Masturbate, obviously.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @taylormade_xox

"MASTURBATING. There is nothing better than reaching down low, and giving yourself a good time."

—catybark

16. Blast showtunes and sing along with the character of your choice.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @hamiltonmusical

"Ninety percent of the time I'm blasting Grease songs (mainly Rizzo's parts) and singing them at the top of my lungs."

—emilyp43515e92e

17. Watch a movie you've never seen before.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @yannes.ho

"I'm one of those people who watches the same 30 or so movies all the time, because i love them so much. But I like to stay up late after everyone's snoring and watch something I've never seen before. There's something really refreshing about it."

—sarahh4bff3abdb

18. Plan and strategize for the future.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @alittleteaattwo

"I personally would make plans, strategies for upcoming events or situations — specific and detailed one. It helps get my shit together."

—gracesss

19. Dance through every inch of your house (to Zayn).

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"I live alone and I'm young so I fill my alone time by lighting up my apartment with music on my boombox and my dance moves. Legit every inch of my house gets danced in. "Pillowtalk" by Zayn...All I'm gonna say."

—chelseab4c8c62eb0

20. Netflix and meditate.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @happykarson

"I get my favorite snack and watch my favorite show (I like to save them for when I have a stressful day). When that's done I turn everything off, darken my room, and meditate for five minutes. I feel like a new person."

—yeamb

21. Work on the novel you don't intend to publish.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @j_xavior

"Whenever I get some spare time to myself, I work on a series of novels I've been writing on and off since I was 16. I haven't shown them to anyone and I don't know if I'll ever actually do anything with them, it's just nice to have a go-to thing that's just for me and keeps my imagination and creative juices going."

—sylviab4f6519965

22. Bake for other people.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @sweet.shabby

"Cupcakes are my thing so I bake dozens of them, spend hours making them look pretty, and then let others dissolve them with their stomach acid. It feels pretty good."

—ForeverIsOver

23. Try something new, or a thing you haven't done in a while.

instagram.com / Via Instagram: @blackadventuristas

"Last month I went rollerblading in the rain by myself and it was awesome. This weekend I'm going solo to a concert!"

—MadAxxx

Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

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