Why being SINGLE doesn't have to be SO SAD

Cheer up!: Life isn't over when you're not in a relationship!

Hey guys! It's Alex, and I have a topic that desperately needs to be addressed.

I've been talking to a lot of people lately, and I've come to the realization that more people that I thought tend to feel incomplete when they're not in a relationship. Whether they've just gotten out of a relationship or if they've been single for awhile, a lot of people seem to feel like they can't be really happy unless they have a significant other. Other than the fact that I just don't want people to be sad, this sense of loneliness and restlessness can provoke even more problems, like rushing into a bad relationship, taking whatever attention you get from the opposite sex, or just being depressed for forever and never attracting healthy, happy people that you actually want.

Before I talk about why you don't have to be pathetic and hopeless when you're single, let me give you my perspective on the subject. There are some people who just always seem to be happy no matter what, even though they never have a girlfriend/boyfriend, and who seem to be apathetic toward the thought of pursuing relationships. I am not one of those people. I mean, I do enjoy my independence. I like being alone sometimes, and I don't feel like I need someone to be around me constantly like some people do. However, the sick twist to that is that I am always craving love. I love being in relationships because I love guys, I love kissing, I love having someone to hang out with all the time, I love having someone to talk to before I fall asleep, and I love falling in love. So when I'm not in a relationship, I'm more bored than anything, but because I'm such a sap, whenever I see a movie or something with a couple falling in love it makes me want to be in love so I get sad if I can't have what the movie couple has. So that's my pathetic little explanation, but beside that I have also been in love, and I know what it's like to fight with the thought of being single once the relationship is dwindling. So here's how I've learned to cope:

While having a boyfriend or girlfriend is definitely a ton of fun because you have somebody to kiss and cuddle with and make you feel good at any time, that doesn't mean being single can't be fun too!

Here's a cheesy little acronym thing (there's a word for this, but I don't know what it is) that explains why being single also has its benefits.

When you're SINGLE, you have the freedom to be...


S- elf-centered.

When you have a significant other, you have an obligation to think of their needs before your own. When you're single, all that matters is what you want. So if your last boyfriend/girlfriend didn't like the same music you like, now's your chance to listen to your heart's desire.

I- ndependent.

Being in a relationship means that a lot of your time is devoted to that person. So many parts of your day revolved around them, and I mean, you just get used to always having a companion everywhere you go, but it's really refreshing to do things by yourself sometimes. Do something you've been wanting to do for a long time but haven't had time to do, or hang out with friends that you had to neglect in order to be with your boy or girl. Bottom line is that now you can do whatever you want without having to answer to anyone or work around their schedule.

N- egligent.

One under-the-radar perk of being single is not having to look good for someone all the time. Like, hello! If you don't feel like shaving for a couple days, you don't have to worry about somebody touching your hairy legs or pits or face! I mean, many girls for example may feel kind of gross going too long without shaving, but guys love being hairy! If you're a guy, grow that nasty thing out as long as you want without having to hear some girl whine about you scratching her or giving her acne! (Yeah I read in a magazine that kissing a guy with stubble can irritate the skin enough to make you break out! That sucks!) And I mean other than shaving, there are other things too like not always dressing to impress, although I'm sure some of you had significant others that said they liked you best when you looked all dirty and nasty and ungroomed (ps they didn't mean it).

G- uilt-free!

Remember how while you were in a relationship, you would get hit on and couldn't go with it because you were trying to be loyal. And maybe for the most part you didn't really check out members of the opposite sex once you were dating someone because you were pretty satisfied with what you had, but every once in awhile you would see somebody and think, "Whoa they're pretty hot! If I was single I'd totally go for it." Well now you can! And even if you're not trying to jump back into a relationship, at least you get to flirt! Flirting is one of the very best parts of being single!

L- earning.

Ok it may sound kind of unappealing, but let's be honest here; when we're in a relationship, we often make our lover priority over like say...school. Of course you probably get things done when you need to, but a lot of time you could have spent putting extra effort into schoolwork and stuff gets neglected by being with your special someone. So get good grades while you have the extra time, and if you're not in school at the time then here's your chance to maybe, I don't know, like read a book or the newspaper or something. Yeah, like I said before it sounds kind of lame, but you'll learn that there are other things going on in the world besides that one person.

E-njoying life!

Not that you don't enjoy life when you're with someone, but there's something about never having to worry about anyone but yourself... I mean unless you're just a nice person +]. You can dress the way you want to dress, flirt with whomever you please, and have secrets. The people you can associate with are unlimited, and so are your activities.


That's what I have to say. How bout you?