Is being alone such a bad thing?
As I have recently discovered that I am a TCK, the research has shown that TCK’s are very independent, and at times, I can be a sort of extreme of that.
I was an only child, and did not have many friends. So I often made up things for me to do by myself. I’d make up storylines that my Barbies would act out, I would pretend I was Sailor Moon and defeat the forces of evil, etc. I guess that’s why I’m so creative. *shrug*
But my point is, at times I just can’t STAND people. They drive me crazy! Sometimes, it’s the ridiculous coasties (those from the east or west coast of the US, that attend my school in leggings, ugg boots and ridiculously large hand bags) that float around my campus, or really cute guys that would never give me the time of day, or even just the sheer presence of others just makes me feel claustrophobic. So at least once a day (often times more), I just need some time to be alone to just read, or watch a movie/tv, etc. or else I will lose my mind. This became VERY evident when I worked at a summer camp this summer. We were just going non-stop and I literally HAD to use my time off every day to be by myself, or else I would explode on the wee ickle kids.
Is this so strange? That I just can’t deal with being around people so much? But yet, at times I get extremely lonely, especially late at night. Is this the curse of being a Third Culture Kid? Is this what I get for not belonging in neither my adopted country nor my home country? That since I don’t belong in either of the two, I’ll just be by myself, where no one can bother me…
So if you see me in the cafeteria with a book under my arm, sorry. That means that I don’t want to eat with you.
December 6th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
The downside of turning people down is that when they don’t know you they stop asking.
On the other hand I don’t really regret it…at least most of the time;)
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December 6th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Anyone born in a large family (5 kids ) when alone time is non-existent? I once stayed with my cousins and I was really surprised… they feel extremely uncomfortable being alone, they need noise and distraction, and I was the opposite. I need my alone cat nap time!
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December 6th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
This is currently in the highest rated entries category…though it only has one vote! ^^;
Thanks for all your entries. I guess I really AM an introvert, though I’ve never thought of myself as one before. Thanks guys!
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December 6th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
Warona: i once went to see a film in LA at 11 am once when i was about 14. It was during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter — so all the kids were at school. The ticket seller thought that i was wagging and began to give me a hard time, wanting to see my school ID! I was like um… “I was born down the road from here at Cedars-Sanai Medical Centre but now i live in Australia, where it is SUMMER and so i have 2 months off. I go to school just not in THIS country!.’
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December 7th, 2007 at 3:03 am
[…] Is being alone such a bad thing? […]
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December 15th, 2007 at 3:10 am
I’m exactly the same… I can’t stand being around people too long, I need time to myself. However I’ve made a small set of close friends and that makes everything worthwhile, if it’s any consulation. Friendships can take a long time to develop, but don’t give up!
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December 21st, 2007 at 9:27 am
Well I am a person who likes their alone time, but sometimes being alone too long is too much. A balance is needed. Being alone for too long makes you depressed. On the other hand, I like having my own alone time, where I am not bothered or controlled by other people. However my situation now is pretty crap, because while i am in a country i lived in before, i know no one here and have not landed a job yet, so i am alone most of the time, which is especially bad on friday and saturday nights, when you see people going out and you’re stuck at home alone.
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December 28th, 2007 at 12:32 am
I tend to enjoy my alone time especially at the end of the year, just to reflect and plan the following year.
Anyone else do this?
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January 22nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
The entire three last paragraphs could be written by me. Every single word of what you wrote describes me! Scary! And great at the same time
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January 22nd, 2008 at 3:40 pm
lol you know what? This is probably at the gist of the problem I’m having with the ladies here (the issue I was asking Uncle Dan to help with) :p
I don’t like being around people all the time. I am OK being alone a lot and my Moroccan friend especially doesn’t understand this at all.
She assumes it’s normal to be talking to everyone all day and all the time and if I’m not constantly calling her she thinks I’m being cold and then when I finally do call her she’s kind of nasty.
I don’t mind communicating with people via msn or mirc or in forums. I don’t HAVE to see them face to face.
I find it profoundly annoying in fact when you want to discuss things with your lawyer and he doesn’t want to do it via email because ‘it’s cold’ and then you have to meet up with him and waste a lot of time and some money - and then he starts to talk about a lot of unrelated things and everything is as clear as mud after a few hours!
Sometimes I do miss being around people if I live alone but when I see them, I’m usually sorry and am glad to be alone again :p
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