If I had worked up the nerve to go to concerts alone in the past I would have saved myself and others a lot of money. I have considered going alone to several concerts before. Sometimes people in my life can’t afford it, or they aren’t willing to pay as much as I am for a ticket, or they simply are not a fan of the artist I want to see. This either ends with me not going to the concert at all, or buying two tickets and bribing someone to come with me.

In my head, going to a concert alone should be fine for me. I don’t have a problem with doing things alone; sometimes I even prefer to do things alone. But in the past, going to a concert alone was something I couldn’t bring myself to do. I did however, do the next closest thing: I sat alone. In August 2018 I went to see the band 5 Seconds of Summer in concert for my fifth time at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. I went with my cousin and her best friend, but we had different seats.

My cousin had bought tickets months prior when they went on sale. The seats weren’t very good but she didn’t care. I didn’t want to spend money on bad seats, so I waited to buy a resale ticket. About a month before the concert, I found an affordable ticket on Stubhub that wasn’t the best, but I was running out of time. I bought the single ticket and the three of us went together. Mohegan Sun is a casino and we had a hotel room there for the night because we were driving to Boston the day after for the next stop of 5SOS’s tour.

Sitting alone is very different from what I imagine going completely alone is like because the only time I was actually alone was during the concert. We walked around the casino, got ready in the room, and waited in line together. Then I met back up with them right after the concert. 

I will admit, sitting alone at a concert is not as fun as being with other people. It was also weird because I was in a row that had three seats, and the two other people next to me didn’t come back after the opening act, so I was alone alone in my row. (I was mad because my cousin and her friend could’ve had those seats!!) Don’t get me wrong, I still had a good time because I love the band and the music, it was just different. 

I’ve learned throughout my life that you shouldn’t keep yourself from doing the things you love just because no one else loves them like you do. If you really want to go to something, whether it be big like a concert, or something on a smaller scale, but no one else wants to go with you, do it alone! I know this is easier said than done, but if you like the thing enough it won’t matter if you’re by yourself. The next time my options are either go to the concert alone or don’t go to the concert at all, I’ve decided I’m facing my fear and forcing myself to go alone.

If you are going to go alone to a concert though, make sure to plan. Think about if you can do it. Can you handle it mentally, but also can you get there physically? I have warmed up to driving just about anywhere (with the exception of NYC), so I have the privilege of not relying on others for transportation. If you get anxiety when you’re alone in crowded places, going by yourself might not be the best choice. I have anxiety, but I have always done well with doing things alone as long as I have a set plan.

Going to concerts alone is not for everyone, some people may never even need to consider this option. But if it’s a concert you really want to attend and that’s the only way you can go, I encourage you to do it!