Unwanted Opinions: Have we lost the art of spontaneity?
The majority of Brits plan every night out in advance. It's time we rediscover our sense of adventure.
I
’ve never been particularly spontaneous. I find comfort in making plans three weeks in advance and often have a back-up plan for my back-up plan. But I’m not proud of being that way. Even though the words ‘let’s play it by ear’ send small shooting pains to my stomach, I admire my friends who jet off on last-minute weekend trips and go travelling with no idea about where tomorrow will take them.
But it seems Brits have become a little more like me.
Cocktail bar, Manahatta, recently found that 89 per cent of UK adults plan every night out in advance and over a quarter would rather stay in bed than yes to last-minute plans. And while usually Generation Z are the ones labelled as the notoriously cautious, the bar surveyed Brits between the ages of 18 and 45.
So what’s holding us back?
Forty per cent of participants explained that costs and a desire to budget keep them at home, and with energy prices fuelling inflation and an impossible job market, it’s a pretty valid response.
Take Halloween, for example. In most major cities, getting into an event, bar or club for a reasonable price often requires booking weeks in advance. This year, I watched an £11 ticket double to £22 in the space of a day, despite the event still being a week away. Consequently, those who choose to be spontaneous are punished with no plans, a packed pub or long queues (see London’s The Swan from this weekend).
And while staying in on the 31st is hardly the be-all and end-all, it reflects the wider dilemma we face when attempting to be a little impulsive.
But perhaps there are still small ways we can make room for spontaneity. Although saying yes to a last-minute, post-work drink seems exhausting, it’s an opportunity to break up the monotony of the week. Turning a dreaded dinner date into a coffee and a walk takes some of the pressure off and saves you fretting over the bill. And if cheap concert tickets come up at short notice, is it really going to hurt you to say yes?
Despite my complicated relationship with spontaneity, when I reflect on my best memories I find an unlikely pattern.
My best nights out at university were almost always the ones where friends forced me out of pyjamas and into an Urban Outfitters Josie top at 11pm. While my recent travels around Brazil with my Type B friends felt like I was being led through the country blindfolded, it was one of the best trips of my life. Whether it's nights out, trips or coffee catch-ups, the plans I've been persuaded to make at the last minute always end up becoming my fondest memories.
Although loose plans or no plans at all can be anxiety-inducing for some, there’s something freeing in letting go. In moments of spontaneity, it’s much harder to get caught up in overthinking, setting expectations and worrying about the what-ifs.
So maybe it’s time we let a little excitement into our lives and learn to embrace the discomfort of not knowing what might happen next.
