A Solo Day in London

This past Friday I found myself with something unusual: a whole day of free time. Now, I am an introvert, so spending time by myself is not something that I ever try to avoid, but usually I like to spend my “me-time” wrapped up in blankets, watching TV in my bed. However, this week was different. I’m leaving London in about a week and I didn’t want to waste a day inside. Not to mention it was absolutely beautiful outside. So, I decided to fill my day with as much solo activities as I could (while also spending as little money as possible).

9:00 a.m.

I woke up pretty early as I had a dance class planned for 11:00am. I’ll get more into that later, but having an early morning made me feel much more productive than I would have otherwise (yes, I know 9:00 isn’t THAT early, but I am a girl who loves her sleep).

10:00 a.m.

Left for Pineapple! That’s the dance studio I’ve been attending, in Covent Garden. It takes me about 40 minutes to get there, so I left with time to get Pret. At Pret, I got myself a croissant and a black coffee–not my usual order but I wanted to make sure I didn’t feel sick in dance.

11:00-12:30 p.m.

Dance class! This day I took an intermediate level Musical Theatre dance class at Pineapple Dance Studios. I’m not gonna lie, it kicked my butt. I’ve been a dancer since I was in the single digits, and even considered a dance minor for a while, but this past year I’ve barely had the time to work out much less take studio classes. So, I decided that when I came to London and had more free time I would get back into it. I’m not gonna lie, it’s been hard and a little frustrating. Pineapple classes are not easy, and I’m not the dancer that I used to be. Still, I’ve been taking this time in London to work on one of my passions and it’s been a super rewarding experience.

12:30-3:00 p.m.

I took a stroll through central London! I haven’t been able to get out and explore London as much as I’d like to, so having the time to wander around was very welcome. I went into some bookstores, took a look through Primark, and even got some new shoes (this doesn’t count for the money saving part, but my mother has been begging me to get new sneakers for MONTHS, a necessary evil). During my stroll, I was even inspired to check out the rush tickets for that night. If you don’t know, rush tickets are day of tickets that West End shows will sometimes sell for an extremely discounted price. Since I would be going by myself, it was even easier to find them. I ended up getting a rush ticket to Sister Act for 30 pounds! (Side note, I’ve seen 15 shows here in London since being here and I haven’t paid more than 30 pounds for any ticket. If you look for those deals, they are there. Also, take one of the IES classes that see productions weekly for subsidized tickets, that’s how I’ve seen over half of the shows).

3:00-6:00 p.m.

I ventured back home to take a little time for myself. I made myself some dinner in the interest of saving money, and had some relaxation time. I’ve been really into drawing lately so I did a lot of sculpture sketches! I also got the time to get ready. I was taking myself out for a nice night on  the town, so I figured I should dress for the occasion. I did my hair and makeup all nice and put on a lovely summer dress. 

6:00-10:30 p.m.

I tubed to the dominion theatre and watched Sister Act! I got there a little early, so I got myself a pre-theatre treat at a nearby pub (food and drinks are ridiculously expensive at the Theaters, I recommend getting some before and/or after instead of buying things there if you’re trying to save money). The show was absolutely lovely, such a fun time! I enjoyed myself so much the entire time. I recommend Sister Act if you’re looking for a heartwarming show that is nothing short of a party.

10:30-11:00 p.m.

On my walk back to the tube, I got to call my family! I recommend calling people if you ever have to walk in London alone at night. While London is actually a very safe city (much safer then where I usually go to school in DC), it helps me feel safe to be on a call and knowing that people are accounting for where I am. Plus, it was really nice to talk to my mom and dad.

11:00-12:00 a.m.

After getting home around 11:30, I brushed my teeth, took a shower, climbed into my PJs, and absolutely passed out. Overall, I had a wonderful day all by myself! If you are studying abroad, I recommend taking at least one day all by yourself to explore!