[johnrob]

I've come to enjoy many aspects of going out in the world alone (most are simply the effect of removing the 'distraction' of company):

- Much greater awareness of other people and surroundings.

- Great opportunity to take stock of what is good/bad in your life (for some reason it's easier to do this outside the house).

- Bursts of creativity (hint: this is a great way to fight writer's block).

These are just the ones I can think of at the moment. One piece of advice for anyone who feels self conscious when alone: since everyone else is amongst friends, they probably won't even notice you. We naturally assume our increased awareness (due to being alone!) is shared by everyone around us - that's not the case though.

[jrs99]

you could easily have known someone that left early.