From time immemorial, society have frowned upon single women. If you read classical literature, from Shakespeare to Jane Austen – there is a recurring theme that single females need to get married, need to have children, need to have a man to be complete. Meh! What gives, right?
Today, although being single is much more accepted than it was, say 30 years ago, there are still people who think that singletons are missing out on much because they are on their own. There are annoying aunts who always ask when you’re going to get married; nosey neighbors who remind you that your child-bearing days are almost gone; and Facebook friends who constantly bombard your newsfeed with pictures and status messages showing how great it is to be with someone.
When you’re beginning to feel weighed down by the unspoken “you should have someone by now” expectations of friends and relatives, think of these 7 reasons why you should be happy you are single.
1. You can be spontaneous. You don’t have to consult with anyone.
Your friends are planning to go on a road trip over the weekend they’ve invited you to come along. When you’re single, all you need to do is check if the travel dates suit your schedule, pack your bags and off you go! If you’re attached, you have to either (1) ask if your sweetheart would like to go with you or (2) ask if you can go on your own (in case sweetheart can’t join you).
2. You can buy whatever you want. Your hard-earned money is ALL YOURS.
Having joint bank accounts is no longer just for those who are married. Sometimes, even those who are going steady pool their resources for “things to come”. If you were with someone, and most of your extra money goes into your common pool of resources, you might have to ask permission if you want to go on a particular trip. If you’re single, you’re free to use your funds on whatever you desire – whether it’s to buy a ticket to Patagonia, or the newest pair of Jimmy Choos. You can buy anything without having to answer to anyone.
3. You can watch anything, any time, and don’t have to share the remote with anyone.
It’s Saturday night and after a busy week at work, all you want to do is blob out on the couch, feast on a big, greasy pizza and watch Underworld so you can ogle at Scott Speedman’s amazing abs, or maybe you just want to have a movie marathon of your favorite chick flicks, from Thelma and Louise to Beaches and cry unabashedly at all the sad scenes or sing along to Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! Can you do that when Saturday night football is on? Nah? Don’t think so!
4. You can hog all the pillows and sleep any which way you want.
When you’re single, the entire bed (and the entire house for that matter) is all yours. You can sleep any which way you like, throw all the pillows on the floor, wrap yourself with the blanket, sleep diagonally with your feet sticking out, or on your belly with both arms flung to each side. Hey! You can even let your favorite pet (dog or cat, maybe both) snuggle up next to you!
5. It’s actually quite fun to dine on your own, or watch movies by your lonesome.
What’s not nice about eating by yourself? You can order anything on the menu and not worry that someone may not have enough to foot the bill. You can eat spaghetti without being too concerned about making a sloppy mess, or maybe you can order food without someone commenting that you’re eating rabbit food. At the movies, you don’t have to share your popcorn and … you don’t have to explain what’s happened in a particular scene every now and again to your companion.
6. You’re in control, and you can stay or go as you please.
One good thing about being single is that you are in control of your schedule. If you hate being late, you don’t have to hound your significant other to finish shaving so that you could be at the party at 7:00. If you are at a social gathering and you are not having as much fun as you thought you would, you can easily excuse yourself and leave early (if need be). Of course, if you do want to stay longer, you are very much at liberty to do so.
7. When you realize, the world is yours and you can go where your heart leads you.
When you’re single, you don’t have to take another person into consideration when making a decision. If you’re unhappy with your job and would rather do crunches instead of crunching numbers, you can quit and focus on being a personal trainer (if that is what you wish to do). If you are offered a job in Florida (and you live in Norway), you can easily just relocate. You don’t have to worry about your sweetheart finding a job in Florida, or having to relocate your children to a new school.
***
As you can see, there really are many perks to being single – you just have to appreciate these for what they are. Not saying that singlehood is better than having someone. Both have their ups and downs and there are reasons why these are called Single Blessedness and Marital Bliss. The key is simply to be happy and make the most of whatever situation you are in now.