10 solo date ideas to add to your calendar
By Vatika
It’s very empowering when you realize that you don’t need anyone to have fun or to take yourself out on a date. Going on a solo date may seem intimidating at first; you may think that others will think doing things on your own is weird, but it doesn’t matter what they think as long as you are having fun. In a lot of ways, there is more freedom with what you can do for a solo date. You can create your own dress code, timings, curfews and budget. You can stick to a plan or go with the flow. It’s a great way to cross something off your bucket list. And by the end of the date, you will most likely have a better idea of who you are.
Here are some ideas you can try for a solo date.
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1. Take a day to yourself
Wake up, whenever you want, and make yourself a nice meal, maybe even bake something. The world is your oyster today for your solo date. The day (and night) is yours to do with it what you want. Start it when it suits you best. Make yourself a nice meal with all the love and nutrients you deserve. You could start your day with the ambrosial smell of baking muffins (and get a fun to-go snack in the process) or make some oatmeal with a smile made out of blueberries.
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2. Wear something cute
Get dressed for the day however you want, for whatever you have planned (or don’t have planned). Maybe try out a new style that you may not normally wear. You’re not dressing to impress anyone but yourself. Feel free and comfortable with what you decide to try out. If you have a skin care and makeup routine, take your time going through them. Maybe you go through the routine the same way, or maybe you experiment with looks or new products you have been thinking of trying out.
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3. Visit a museum or art gallery
The popular museums and galleries in your city usually have some exhibits on rotation or visiting from other places. Aside from the big-name museums and art galleries around you, there are also galleries that will put on exhibitions of local or visiting artists. Try visiting some historical sites to learn a little bit more about the town or city that you live in.
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4. Sign up for a class
There are many classes available both online and in person to fit a variety of budgets, timings and accessibility needs. Dance, art, yoga, fitness and cooking classes are some popular classes to do online. Pottery, painting and indoor skydiving are popular classes to do in person. You may end up finding a new hobby or reigniting a previously forgotten passion.
5. Take yourself to the movies
Buy your popcorn or favorite candy at the counter and enjoy the newest movie in the franchise or leading contender for the Oscars. You may watch a movie you normally may not and find that you still don’t like that genre or have a change of heart.
6. Ice cream and a walk in the park
While at the park, you can do so many things. You can read a book, watch the lake, paint a painting or simply enjoy the ice cream you just got. Maybe it’s not ice cream but coffee or bubble tea or a slice of opera cake. Fresh air is a great way to clear your mind and enjoy time to yourself. If there is a body of water near you — a pond, lake, beach or river — maybe delight in a walk near the water.
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7. Become a tourist of your own town
Do some street combing and be a tourist in your own town. Street combing is a fun little hobby to put the world around you into a new perspective. You can take pictures of a random street from different angles. In the process of taking pictures and observing the familiar streets you cross every day, you may end up finding new boutiques, bakeries and bars that you may not have noticed otherwise.
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8. Order food or make a delicious meal
Get some takeout or grab groceries from your local farmers market. If you decide to bring back home takeout, great! Maybe it is from that new restaurant that you’ve wanted to try or maybe it’s one of your existing favorites. If you decide to do some groceries, test out that new recipe or perfect an old one. Get your apron on, put on that cooking playlist and do a little dance as you make your meal.
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9. Enjoy your meal while watching TV
Sit back on the couch with your home-cooked or takeout meal and put on that reality show, new trending show or your go-to sitcom. Have a laugh or a cry while seeing your favorite characters on screen again. Savor the food you are eating while kicking back and relaxing, knowing that you did the most you could today for yourself.
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10. If all else fails, stay at home and relax
Do some of your proven reliable favorite activities, and maybe start that DIY gallery wall you’ve been putting off. A date, solo or not, doesn’t necessarily have to be leaving your house and doing something grand. Doing something you love can be just as good to get what you want out of the date. You set the rules (maybe there are no rules) for your solo dates.
Regardless of what activity or activities you do, have fun doing them. Feel at peace with yourself and comfortable being with yourself. There are so many things we can learn about ourselves while exploring our interests on our own. It is great to have shared experiences with friends and family, but sharing experiences with yourself is just as heart-warming.
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