Flying Solo: A Wicked Good Experience (Martinez Vargas)
By Ana Martinez Vargas.
There’s a fine line between experiences alone and lonely experiences.
Some might feel like going to a place of entertainment alone is a sad or lonely experience, but I strongly disagree. Although I love hanging out with friends and enjoying a night out as a group, my social battery has limited longevity.
In My Own Company
When we first arrived in London, I did explore the city with friends, and we all made mistakes while learning how to navigate the city together. That was an experience I could not have properly managed on my own, but once I familiarized myself with my surroundings, I bought a ticket to see the musical Wicked alone. There’s a fine line between experiences alone and lonely experiences. I would not define going to a show alone as a lonely experience because I am a big fan of the theatre, but I understand that many people are not as avid enjoyers. I wanted to do this, and I knew I would have an amazing time whether or not I had company.
The show itself was amazing; Wicked is a show I have heard so much about but never had the chance to see, so I had very high hopes going into it and was not disappointed. You can really see the amount of time and effort it takes to put on a show like this, not only from the cast but also from the crew, the technicians, and the musicians. Shows like this really bring you into the world of the show; they do such an amazing job at seamlessly moving from one scene to the other that you almost forget that there is a team of people moving every piece of that puzzle to put on such an effortless performance. I loved the show and will actually be seeing it again with a friend at the end of the month.
I enjoyed the show very much and had a great time. The experience led me to meet three girls who were all also studying abroad in England. One was from Wales, another from Scotland, and the last from Canada. I spoke to them for a while during the interval as well as after the show and was very glad that I went alone. The thought of asking a friend to accompany me did cross my mind but exploring alone lets me wander without a sense of urgency or need for a destination. I still enjoy many nights out with friends, but every now and again, I take the time to go somewhere new around London alone to walk around, go down whatever streets feel right, and discover new places that might actually lead me to return to with friends.
Among the Flowers
On another of my solo adventures, I came across a flower market that covered an entire street. It turned out to be the famous Columbia Road Flower Market. There were flower vendors, of course, as well as little shops that sold a wide range of nick-nacks and café items. I loved this little street. I went alone simply because I love flowers, I think they are so graceful and imperfectly perfect, so going alone was a very peaceful experience. I love just walking around at my own pace for my own enjoyment.
Moments do not always have to be shared, and experiences alone do not have to be lonely.
The negative stigma around eating alone, going somewhere alone, or just being alone is largely misplaced. I would never recommend going anywhere alone if it’s late hours, the area is known to be unsafe, or if you are going to a place where you have no phone connection/service. Always correctly prepare yourself before heading to your destination and let someone know where you will be, especially if you are a woman. However, do not let that deter you from going somewhere alone. If there is a place you would like to go, but your friends don’t enjoy that kind of thing, or schedules are not lining up correctly, go alone (as long as you know nothing will compromise your safety.) Experiences are only sad if you make them sad, and you can never appreciate the flowers without stopping to look at them.
