You may be surprised, but cosying up in your couch while enjoying a nice cup of hot cocoa is the best thing to ever happen on your weekend
Shut the door and slip off those sole-stinging heels. Pull off that heavy jacket you've been lugging around all day. You've been invited to several Friday parties, but you’ve decided to switch off your phone after replying your Nos. Barefoot, enjoying the light sensation of the floor against your feet, you go straight to the fridge. You fix yourself a bowl of yogurt-and-fruit, before laying on your couch to watch your midnight shows without a worry. Feels good?
This is the beauty of staying in – the revelling of little, albeit common things that you occasionally miss due to the constant beckoning of hustle culture. The world nudges you to keep busy; on weekdays, you pace around the office, allow your phone to ring incessantly with calls from clients while you catch up on work. You wake up early, sleep in late, burden yourself with stress thanks to unmet deadlines and unforeseen mishaps. But today, a weekend, is your “me-time.” And instead of spending it out into the world of busy and exhausting, here you are, still dressed in your satiny pyjamas, taking your time to rest, because rest is what humans have needed badly.
It’s a millennial movement
According to MediaPost, millennials are craving to stay in rather than head out, and it’s for a good reason. As revealed by the trends surveyed by For A Good Time, 72% of younger consumers said they would rather stay indoors during the weekends. 81% of adults between 21-33-year-olds would prefer their phones over drinks. In a comedy skit by Aparna Nancherla, there's no more FOMO – the fear of missing out – only the fear of missing in. The age of Netflix-and-chill rises as the desire for bar-hopping slowly wanes. We learn to swap late-night chatters into our piece of quiet, something that’s becoming rare these days.
The reasons why
Why stay-in, you say? For one, it saves money. There's no need to shell out $17 in a movie theatre when you can watch them on your cable subscription. What's more, you don't need to line up in long queues; you'll basically stretch yourself in a big, comfy couch; eating, pausing, doing what you like. No taxis to pay. No food to waste.
The better part? No need to dress up. You can walk around the house in your pyjamas all day, and no one will scold you for it. Ditch the heavy make-up and tight pony-tails. Today, you can let your body breathe, your skin free. It’s time to dress in your barest, most comfortable state – the closest peek at your natural beauty.
If you enjoy chowing down a burger with a relish – without minding too much of your manners and the onlookers’ opinions – here’s your chance. No one will see you but your closest friends whose burps you have already heard. Staying in, after all, is better done with your favourite people. Much better, if you agree with the same menu; sure, there’s a new bistro in town, but would it beat your favourite pizza joint or your BFF’s baking expertise?
Staying in also means hanging out with your four-pawed friend. Frankly, in many cases, they're better than humans. Your pets, who are 100% devoted to you, also helps you get rid of your week-long stress. Who wouldn't adore those big eyes and giant smiles and thick fur that only yearns to be rubbed and petted?
Less humans, less distractions. Here is when you can steal time to do that passion project you've been dreaming for long. Writing a novel? Sit down and pen those chapters. Finishing a painting? Put your Picasso on brush those colours to life. Dressing a garden or designing a new coat? Go ahead, this is your chance. Weekends will never be boring when you're at home.
And there's more: parking wouldn't be an issue, there's no need to scamper for that empty seat, you don't have to spend hours waiting for people who doesn't come on time, and you have all the option to do everything you want, whenever you want it. Staying in, therefore, is all about freedom.
A strong sense of self-care
Tagged as one of today's wellness trends, staying in is a means to replenish your mind, body and soul. Take it as a moment to enjoy yoga, where you stretch your arms and legs in your own pace, soaking in the quiet of your room with meditative poses. It could also be a perfect moment to practice hygge – now a powerful buzzword – where you wrap yourself in thick blankets and enjoy the fresh scent of aromatic candles that light up your room – instead of the glaring LEDs. While you're at that, grab a book, or listen to a podcast, and indulge in absorbing new bits of life lessons that will help you grow at work, and as a whole, a person.
One final note: Staying in doesn’t mean keeping yourself locked behind your doors. Going out, after all, is more about prospecting. When you’re out there, the possibilities are endless – there's adventure, new people, new sights and sounds to enjoy. While staying in can never replace these serendipitous encounters, it’s good to know that when you’re exhausted from the week’s load, you have an option to hibernate, to just chill and relax, and you are never wrong for it.
