Dark secret revealed

One of my favourite activities is a trip to the cinema and, I'm not ashamed to say, it's often something I indulge in by myself.

It's a concept still occasionally met with shock, which surprises me. If you like movies and haven't tried it, I recommend you do.

My first solo venture to a movie was in my third year of university. I was living a block from the cinema and my arts degree left too much spare time to spend it all at the pub.

I was initially a little sheepish about the fact I was doing something deemed (in my mind at least) socially unacceptable. But there were no snide comments from the employee selling me my ticket. None of the four other people in the cinema looked twice at me as I slunk into a seat in the back corner.

Soon enough the lights were dimmed, the movie played and I emerged from that midweek daytime session feeling liberated.

Unshackled from social convention, I discovered I no longer had to find a friend, argue about what movie to see or rearrange schedules to participate in one of my favourite pastimes.

Sure, you don't get to dissect the movie with your friend afterwards over a drink, or debate whether it was Margaret or David who got it right, but the fact is I wouldn't see many movies if I had to wait for my odd schedule to overlap with friends.

And, of all the things considered slightly strange to do without company - going to the pub and dining come to mind dining (I've tried both of those too) - a movie is best suited to doing alone.

Comfortable single seats, all forms of communication discouraged and a dark room to hide any looks of judgment - real or imagined - which might be directed my way.