Going out alone doesn’t have to feel lonely

We’ve all been there.

It’s finals. You’re fed up with your work. After calling almost every person you know who lives in the Columbia area to “do something,” no one seems to be free. A 30-minute “Modern Family” break won’t cut it. You’ve got to get out of Morningside, but you’re scared at the prospect of leaving—at least, you are if it means you’ll be alone.

A frightening scenario to say the least, but not one that should keep you from experiencing New York. There are plenty of places in the city that cater to the single traveler. And in many cases, being alone is actually much better.

Take for instance Ippudo (65 Fourth Ave., near 10th Street), a Japanese ramen restaurant near Union Square. The delectably thin ramen noodles, the perfectly seasoned broth, and the variety of condiments, from poached eggs to bamboo shoots, make this one of the best ramen bets (only $14) in all of New York. It’s no wonder, then, that the restaurant is impossible to get into on Friday or Saturday.

But while it would take up to three hours for a group of four to be seated, it takes 30 minutes at the most for a single eater to enjoy a delicious bowl of Ippudo’s signature ramen. The restaurant even has a special table reserved for single diners during lunch, and the bar is always able to squeeze in an extra person or two.

Another activity better done alone is going to see a movie, but not at just any movie theater. The ones uptown—especially at 66th Street—are filled with families, couples, and chatty teenagers who often disrupt a perfectly good film. On the other hand, downtown venues for alternative, avant-garde, and cult films—like Film Forum (209 W. Houston St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues) and the IFC Center (323 Avenue of the Americas, at West Third Street)—are havens for cinephiles and, in particular, lonesome cinephiles.

Going alone to see the latest Godard film is not a novelty here—it’s actually the norm. Film Forum also has unusually good snacks and drinks, such as Jacques Torres chocolate bars and Illy cappuccinos that are perfect single-serving treats.

While a good meal or movie is a likely activity for the unaccompanied student, shopping for clothing may seem like an unthinkable solitary outing. Fortunately, Topshop (478 Broadway, at Broome Street) has us covered. The über-fashionable British chain offers a complimentary personal shopping service with several options to choose from, such as the “Miracle Worker,” a two-hour wardrobe overhaul, or the “Big Wow,” a one-hour consultation for a special event.

A personal favorite activity to do on my own involves a day at the Museum of Modern Art. Going alone to this museum has several advantages: There is no need to hassle over which gallery to visit, waiting for someone else is never an issue, and blockbuster exhibits become easier to handle, since you can easily move between the masses of foreign tourists.

What makes going to the MoMA alone most enjoyable, however, is the pace at which one tackles the museum. I can spend as long as I want in front of a photograph with no one rushing me, no one asking me questions, no one attempting to talk to me about the art. A trip to the café, which serves some of the best food I’ve ever had in a museum (let alone in New York), can take me hours with a good book and a delicious bufala mozzarella salad. I can peruse the bookstore and read the catalogue issued for the newest exhibition. Time is never of the essence.

We live in a city filled with over 1.5 million people, each bound by their own varying restrictions. While these restrictions are often viewed as negative, they can have a positive and even entertaining quality. Without time limits, we’d never get anywhere. With too much money, we’d never know what to do with all of it. And without restrictions, we’d never be who we are.