How Many of These Activities Have You Done Alone?

How many things do you do by yourself? I'm not talking about the obvious stuff like showering, masturbating, or swimsuit shopping, but actual out-in-the-wild activities typically reserved for couples or groups — like going to a boozy brunch, checking out a music festival, or visiting a foreign country.

I spend a lot of time alone. While I have many lovely friends and wouldn't exactly consider myself an introvert, I've always been pretty independent, and enjoy punctuating my social time with moments of solitude. When I moved to San Francisco in my mid-20s, I learned pretty quickly that people's night and weekend plans fill up fast, and spontaneity is rare — it felt like if I hadn't nailed down a brunch group or movie date by mid-week, my only options were to invite myself along on someone else's adventure or go on one of my own. So, I decided to say "f*ck it" and start doing what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it, all by myself.

I've gone to restaurants and museums and movies. I've run races, travelled overseas, and braved IKEA. I've even attended a wedding where I only knew the bride. I've become my own best friend and favourite date, and have met some really amazing people along the way. And for better or worse, there's no going back for me. To this day, I can't think of a bigger waste of time than waking up, knowing exactly what I want to do that day, and texting people to see if they want to join before doing it (truly, the thought of waiting for a friend to get back to me about going to brunch — when I could have already been there finishing my first mimosa — makes my eye twitch).

But enough about me — how many things have you done alone? Scroll through the checklist below to find out your score, and remember: there's no shame in spending time by yourself. And if you haven't tried any of these activities while solo yet, it might be time for you to choose your own adventure.