we explore the awkwardness around going out without company when the time comes go on an outing alone how many of us are actually willing to do so when you go out alone you cant help but notice certain people giving you either sympathetic pitiful or suspicious looks so is there a social stigma attached to going out alone vanaja nair a psychologist says in the case of women there is a discomfort attached to going out alone perhaps due to social disapproval however if a man is out alone hell probably be met with suspicious or anxious stares due to the general misconception that men who hang out alone are probably out to get women some part of it also has to do with how comfortable you are with yourself if concern about cultural expectations outweigh your own need to be by yourself then it is quite possible youll face excessive discomfort when venturing out for a movie or dinner alone at coffee shops what people think you are doing when a person walks into a coffee shop i think that it could be one of two things either that person is really intellectual and brave or is a loner no one actually expects someone to enter a coffeeshop without company says arts student aimen reshi what youre actually doing when people look at the person sitting alone little do they know that the person is oblivious to hisher surroundings i love it i have no issues i carry a book or magazine with me i dont really notice if people are looking i sit alone and enjoy myself says sarah niles a 19yearold at the movies what people think you are doing i always think that guys who come alone to watch movies are perverts whove come to look at others says pooja singh 16 what youre actually doing you didnt have company so you decided to catch the show on your own i went to the movies alone and i enjoyed myself because for a change no one was shouting at the screen or continuously passing comments says 20yearold essam ahmed at a restaurant what people think you are doing people who eat alone look really depressing aimlessly poking at their food at least thats the picture you get says science student anagha rai what youre actually doing eating alone is relaxing says saaniya zaveri a 19yearold i text or pretend to text until my order arrives to avoid the curious looks i get i wish people would mind their own business because its hard to find company all the time adds ifrah nasser aged 18 going shopping what people think youre doing people think that shopping is something you should never do alone most people give you looks of concern its so sad its something you should share with your girlfriends says rachana mohandas an 18yearold what youre actually doing i love to shop after ive had a bad day sometimes when i go out alone