I hate the word “sigma” or “lone wolf” and those who self-identify as such as much as the next guy, but hear me out …

They do have one point (that doesn’t involve Reddit or fedoras.) Just one, I promise! 

That it’s okay to be alone.

Even thinking about this concept is frightening. Culture, science and society have all taught us how important socializing is and the value of human interaction, but at some point, we have sacrificed all introspection and individuality for the sake of distraction and avoidance. 

Especially in college.  

More often than not, you will hear a relative or older friend giving you college advice, telling you to “just have fun and make friends” and “party while you’re young,” but they never tell you it’s okay to be by yourself. 

I wish someone would have taught me how to handle being lonely and how hard it can get instead of finding out while eating an obscene amount of tuna at 3 a.m., listening to Creep on repeat and watching motivational Ted Talks after having no one to hangout with on a Friday night.  

Funny enough, I learned you must master being alone, not to be lonely. 

Although loneliness and the state of being alone sound synonymous, they could not be more different. Loneliness is isolation and a state of disconnect. It’s why you can be in a room full of people and still feel like an island away. 

On the other hand, being alone doesn’t mean feeling empty and pathetic. It’s simply the absence of other people. That absence is actually an opportunity to explore your individuality — a very sigma moment.

Most people don’t realize you can feel happy just being by yourself. Instead they obsess over spending time with people if they are feeling the least bit lonely. Unfortunately, the truth is that people aren’t always going to be there for you. 

There will be times when you are gonna eat with an empty dining hall as your companion, co-exist with only yourself in your one-bedroom apartment and wander campus with no one but your thoughts. 

Do not try to avoid these moments or distract yourself from the stillness. You will suffer. So, let me help you figure out some “sigma” mindsets to really get to know who you are. 

First off, learn to appreciate your surroundings. While places like Blocker exist on campus, so do places like Aggie Park, the Century Tree and the Leech Gardens. These are places where you can bask in beauty and calmness. 

Heck, even the most boring places behold a treasure chest of sights to appreciate! 

Running errands around College Station is a chance to observe the cats of Heldenfels, giant squirrels scurrying around ramps on campus, the empty fields of Aggieland or another loner like yourself minding their own business and sniffing candles at Target — all sights which are completely mundane and beautiful. 

Appreciating the world around you alone lets you see how meaningful even the simple daily tasks of life are without distractions. You don’t have to go to Northgate, go to every single sports game or attend organization meetings everyday to learn the gift of simply existing. 

Secondly, learn to talk to yourself. Not literally because that’s unsettling, but through reading, writing and listening to music.

All three avenues of art give you the opportunity to interact with ideas and make them your own. Reading lets you experience new ideas and interpretations, writing gives you the power to make your own creations and music inspires you to embrace your emotions and diminish distress. 

While you can do these activities with others, doing them alone is the only chance you have to cultivate an individual persona influenced by no one other than yourself.

Lastly, learn to be okay with doing nothing.  

Now, when I mean doing nothing, I am not talking about floundering around like a sack of potatoes. That is not “sigma” like. However, you can soak up some sun, embrace a cozy blanket along with a nap and meditate, letting your stress drift away. You don’t always have to drown your thoughts in entertainment and stimulation. It’s okay to give silence a moment to be heard. 

People don’t prepare college students enough for the many times they will have to face life without any presence but their own. This lack of warning leads to college students being unable to fully embrace themselves. 

Without learning how to live with yourself how will you ever thrive as an individual? 

You won’t. 

So, learn a thing or two about your own “sigma” lifestyle and remember that the most important person you should familiarize yourself with in college is you. 

Lilia Elizondo is an English senior and opinion writer for The Battalion.