6 awesome things to do alone this long weekend

by Ndem Nkem

Ah! Bank holidays are the best…especially when they fall a day before or after the weekend. Labour Day for Nigerians fall on the 1st of May and luckily, while it is a Sunday this year, the government has ensured we do not get cheated out of the free day by declaring the next day –Monday – public holiday. Hurray!

While holidays are great and offer the best opportunities for many to spend time with loved ones and family, it can be an especially lonely and trying time for people, who for a wide variety of reasons, find that they have to spend the entire time alone. If you are a potential “lonely Londoner” this long week, no need to worry as there are many things you can do to make the weekend a little less lonely. Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking site numbers them in them in the list below:

1. Travel somewhere new

You can never go wrong with travelling or visiting some place you have never been to before. It does not have to be to a faraway place like America, Middle East or even Europe, which will require a long journey, cutting out valuable hours from your holiday; you can chose to go to the next town or one of the myriad tourist attractions around Nigeria. Traveling alone will allow you the luxury of going at your own pace rather than always having to make compromises on what sights to see, where to eat, and what activities to do so as to please travel partners. You are able to soak up everything about the trip that you want to and have a marvelous time .

2. Get experimental in the kitchen

This will only be a distasteful idea to someone who completely hates the idea of handling raw food or cooking. However, a very exciting way to spend the long weekend will be to try out new recipes on your own and test your cooking skills. You could even try to create your own recipe and come up with a completely fresh menu unknown to the world. If it all works out, you can show off your skill of special menu next time you have someone visiting.

3. 3. Take yourself out on a dinner date

There is no rule that says a date has to be with someone else. Take yourself out on a date, go somewhere fancy and spend money on yourself. Dress up, order fine wine and an exotic meal. Take your time as you enjoy ordering anything you want without anyone else asking for a bite. If you are worried it would bore, take a book along or your iPad so you could stream short funny clips while dinning – really, what could be better than showing yourself some good old love?

4. Binge on a TV show

In Nigeria, the hustle is real and so most time, most of us do not have time to see all the shows we would love to follow. The long holiday gives an opportunity to get your slice of movie heaven. Pick one of the trending TV shows you have been itching to see and watch all the seasons in a marathon. Game of thrones will be a perfect option, but if you are not up for anything new, you can decided to re-watch series of old shows.

5. Complete a project

If you are the nerdy type who finds joy working on projects or inventing new things, take the long weekend to expand on and work on that idea that has been nagging at the back of your head. Take some time and do your research, draw up the plan and try to carry it through. You could make it all more exciting by working outside your apartment. You could visit a local library or work from one of the various patisseries around town.  At the end of the long weekend, you are rewarded with a sense of accomplishment.

6. Try stargazing

The average Nigerian will not only consider this idea as weird but think of it as a stressful  endeavor. It is always good to try new things. Star gazing can be very soothing and gives you an opportunity to admire nature while clearing your mind. Lay on your back and marvel at your complete and utter smallness in comparison to the rest of the universe.