I’ve grown up loving movies, especially going to the movie theater to catch the newest flick. There’s something about reclining in a plush seat in a cool, dark, quiet theater that just puts me in my happy place. Lucky for me, I married a man who loves movies even more than I do, and who comes from an entire family of cinephiles.
(SIDE NOTE: My in-laws and their family are seriously obsessed with movies. Every year for the Oscars, we have a viewing party with a movie-themed pitch in. Last year’s feast included “I’m Just a Po’Boy” (Bohemian Rhapsody) sandwiches, “Black Clams, Man” (BlacKkKlansman) appetizer, an “If Beale Street Could (S)Talk” salad, “A Star is Corn” side dish, “Roma” salsa, “Spoon Full of Sugar” mini crème brulees (Mary Poppins Returns), “Free Rolo” cupcakes, etc. etc. You get the point. The annual Oscar’s viewing party is my husband’s “favorite holiday”!)
As I’m sure, many parents can relate, having a baby drastically affects your social life. In the beginning, it was really hard for me to get over the first-time parent anxiety of leaving my daughter with a babysitter (and let’s be real, babysitter = grandparents. Which I know is literally the next safest option. Realistically, I have no reason to be fearful or anxious. But geez, can that mama-anxiety and guilt really overtake your ability to think rationally and logically, amiright??) Once I was able to get past separation anxiety, movies fell to the bottom of my priority list for “date night” activities. If my husband and I were going to get a night to ourselves, I’d much rather enjoy a dinner to ourselves, where we can actually talk to each other, uninterrupted. And, to be quite honest, we went to a movie once, and I literally fell asleep in the theater before the previews were over. Over-tired parent + quietness + darkness + comfy chair = zzzzzzz. Just when I thought my movie theater days were over, I discovered my newest obsession: the solo movie date.
I work part-time and my daughter goes to a part-time daycare. This creates the occasional afternoon where I have absolutely nothing on my schedule—no work meetings and no toddler duties. One day, about two years ago, we were all eating breakfast and I was thinking out loud on what I was going to do on my day off after I dropped off Lu. “Why don’t you go see a movie?” my husband casually suggested. “By myself?!?” I questioned. Immediately, social anxiety flooded my brain:
- “What if the ticket person laughs at me because I’m by myself?!”
- “Will people in the theater think I’m a loser?!”
- “Alone?! Everybody else is going to be there with a group.”
- “What will I do? Just sit there by myself?!”
Yes, I will do just that. Sit there by myself. Just like everybody else that goes and sees a movie. You will sit there, in silence, and enjoy a movie on the big screen. And nobody, I repeat, absolutely nobody will give a damn that you’re there by yourself. And it will be wonderful.
Why do I love solo movies?
- You can pick whatever movie you want to see! No judgments or groans from anybody else.
- Movies are a quiet activity—you don’t need to go with anyone because you shouldn’t be talking during one anyway.
- It’s the ultimate me-time! Everybody preaches self-care, and movies count as self-care too! And besides, catching a matinee is way cheaper than getting a massage.
I did a little Instagram poll to see what other people thought about solo movie dates and wanted to share some results! Shout out to the 47 followers who participated in my “very scientific research”.
- Out of 47 responses, 35 people (74%) have been to a movie by themselves compared to 12 people (or 26%) who have not.
- For my “yes” voters: 30% of ya’ll make it a habit to go to solo movies regularly, with 70% having been once, but wanting to make it a priority to go more often.
- For my “no” voters: the most common response was that they want to go to movies, just don’t have the time. And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that most of you are also parents.
Introverts, extroverts, movie lovers and even movie haters (are there even people that are movie haters? I mean, how can you hate something as magical as a movie!?) I highly encourage you to see a movie alone. Solo movies: 10/10, 5 stars.
