Enjoy the Movies - Alone

Today I went to watch a movie by myself for the first time. It shouldn’t be that life altering but admittedly, it’s something I once feared. Perhaps due to the cautionary tales of my parents as a young girl - “No! You can’t go to the movies alone!” As if some creeps will lurk in the darkness, perhaps they were right if this was when I was a teenager, but now in my 30s, I think I can take care of myself at the movies.

I’ve travelled alone, I’ve eaten at restaurants alone - but that was rarely in a dark and barely lit environment, right?

Still, I spoiled myself with this first time experience. I didn’t go to the normal cinemas, I went to Gold Class. Now this isn’t only because of a fear of going to the movies alone, it is also because - I feel like I’m getting older, I want to sit somewhere comfortable. And, since the pandemic, well, we might as well sit socially distanced. The introvert in me delights in it.

Choosing my seats and my menu was the fun part - yes, it’s not cheap. You’re not allowed to bring external food or drink in and no, the Gold Class ticket price did not come with some form of complimentary snacks - other than water.

I was running late, so I didn’t even get to savour the entire experience - note to whoever is thinking about treating themselves to a Gold Class experience - it’s okay to get there early. You’ll get to feel like you’re in a VIP lounge at the airport. Away from the “regular folk” outside waiting to see a regular movie in cramped seating.

It’s these little luxuries - now I feel older, and like I deserve it. I’ve worked hard, I’m in my 30s! It’s okay to treat myself every once in a while. Perhaps if I had a boyfriend, perhaps if I was even married - it would be another type of romantic treat of an experience. But even alone, it was pretty nice.

The seats are large enough that it feels socially distanced. Big, soft, comfortable leather chairs. I don't even lounge around in such large armchairs at home, normally.

My suggestion is, just order a main and a dessert. They were surprisingly generous with the servings at the cinema that I went to - it was a LOT of food! My eyes were too big for my stomach! And I really didn’t realise how large the portions were. It’s enough, even just one main or one snack choice.

But it is a temporary moment of “Ahh - someone else is doing the cooking and they are bringing it to me” - that rare feeling of being pampered. Worth the price? Yes. If you’ve felt like you’ve been working hard and you have that little extra of disposable income.

I’m not even being sponsored to write this post! But my overall experience of the Gold Class cinemas that I went to - I loved it. It’s the little luxuries that make the drudgery of the capitalist grind just barely bearable.

Perhaps this could be part of my own personal annual tradition. It is just recently the Chinese/Lunar New Year, perhaps I can reward myself with a Gold Class movie ticket every year around this time. And maybe once again on my birthday, and just a couple of other “special” occasions.

I think if I start this tradition for myself - and who knows, if I have a boyfriend or husband later on in life - this would be a tradition that he’d have to join me for. It’ll be a non-negotiable.

Once I’ve started learning to treat me right, the next person has no other choice but to honour and respect that as well.

And if fate in this life for me is that there isn’t going to be an “other half” kind of person - that’s okay as well. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my own company. Even amused myself with my menu and drink choices.

For me, in my millennial salary bracket, it’s still an affordable luxury - every few months or so, I would suggest. Not a weekly event at all.