by Jamie LB

Created on: January 12, 2010

Aah, singlehood. The one time in your life where you can curl up in baggy sweats on the couch with some Ben & Jerry’s and watch The Bachelor without having to schedule it as a “girls night” so that your boyfriend has a reason not to come over. Or for the gentlement, a justification for those Wii-induced comas that keep you sleeping until noon. Enjoy it while you can! Because once the single life is gone, so are the days of full independence and uncommitted bliss.

Many people associate the single life as a failure to impress the opposite sex; rather than being a declaration of independence and a time for fun, it’s seen as a label for the relationship-challenged.

But that stigma is unfair and untrue in so many ways. There are plenty of reasons why the single life is the good life. Think about it—how many arguments do you have with yourself? None, right? And whose dirty underwear and smelly socks do you have to pick up? Just yours, no one else’s. So, my single friends, here are just a few ways that you can rock out sans significant other in the best ways possible:

1. Movie Night!

            That’s right, no more fighting over the remote or having the typical chic flick/scary movie argument. Bust out your favorite DVD’s- whether they be the entire Sex and the City series or the Star Wars trilogy- and bring out that inner couch potato. Doesn’t that popcorn taste that much better when it’s only your hands in it?

2. Catch Up On Your Reading…

            A significant other can be distracting. When free time is sparse, wouldn’t you much rather be canoodling with a cutie rather than visiting with your book club? Time spent being single is perfect for catching up on great books. Nothing is better than delving into a great fiction novel or an intriguing biography and completely losing yourself in another world.

3. Bring out the Inner Julia Child!

            Break up with your microwave for a night and make friends with a cookbook! Pick a dish you’ve always wanted to make, gather up the ingredients, and try not to set the kitchen on fire. These nights alone are a great opportunity to perfect your cooking abilities. And nothing attracts the opposite sex more than a great meal…

4. Pamper Yourself!

            When you don’t have to take care of anyone else, it leaves ample time to take care of someone even more important—yourself! A night at home alone is ideal for breaking out the face masks, nail clippers and wax strips—all the things you would NEVER let a significant other see.  Treating yourself well is essential for anyone’s well being, so use this time wisely.

Being single does not have to be a burden. It can be quite the opposite; a chance for someone to bond with themselves, explore their own interests, and discover what truly makes them happy. Those who can spend quality time alone are even more interesting and fun to be with when they do get in a relationship.

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