I’ve spent plenty of time being very single and generally, I’ve been fine with it. I have friends, a career, and interests I care about, so finding a boyfriend has always been something that I kind of wanted, but didn’t really need. That being said, there are certain things you get out of a relationship that are a lot harder to come by when you’re rolling solo. Now that I have a boyfriend, I still firmly believe I don’t need one to be happy — but I must admit, it definitely doesn’t hurt.
- I always have someone to watch horror movies with. I love horror movies, but most of the time I’m not brave enough to watch them alone. Having a boyfriend means I can see some in the theater and make my way through Netflix’s catalog of low-budget scary movies. Even if he just passes out on the couch, simply not being all alone while I watch them is enough for me.
- I can drunk text without regretting it the next day. There are always those nights where I’ve had a few drinks and I’m feeling chatty and/or horny and I’ll send a text that would make sober me cringe. Luckily, my boyfriend doesn’t judge me for it, so I can drunk text away without any shame whatsoever.
- Worrying I’ll never meet someone doesn’t cross my mind anymore. Even when I was single and loving it, there was still the occasional devil on my shoulder that would say, “If you don’t find someone soon, there won’t be anyone left.” As much as I knew that was completely ridiculous, there were moments when it felt true. Now that I have a boyfriend, I don’t worry about that anymore.
- Regular sex is always a good thing. Not that you can’t get regular sex when you’re single, but it’s a lot more likely to be mediocre or just straight-up terrible sex. Sex with a boyfriend is a lot more comfortable, and there are opportunities to try new things without worrying about possible embarrassing moments.
- Not to mention, I get regular cuddles. One thing that’s always missing when you’re single is just being able to be affectionate with someone with no end goal in mind. It’s proven that hugs release oxytocin, also known as “the bonding hormone,” and they can help reduce stress and anxiety. Cuddling with a guy I’m not in a relationship with could produce the same results in theory, but it just doesn’t feel the same.
- I always have a plus-one. Thanks to my boyfriend, I’m never the odd one out at game night, I don’t have to go to weddings alone, and I’m never “the single one” on girls’ nights out. There are pros and cons to being in a relationship, but having an automatic date for everything is always a pro.
- I can stay home all weekend without FOMO. When I was single, I felt like I had to be constantly “putting myself out there” to find dates. Now, I can spend the weekend watching Netflix, reading, and doing deep conditioning treatments on my hair without feeling like I should really be out at a bar or attending a cooking class in an attempt to try to meet someone.
- The downloading and deleting Tinder struggle is no more. I’ve never been a fan of Tinder, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t try in earnest to meet someone by swiping right on every guy who looked remotely dateable. Come Monday, I’d delete the app, only to re-download it Thursday night and start the process all over again. Dating apps are now a thing of my past. At least I hope so.
- Who doesn’t like date night? Of course, I could always go out to dinner and a movie, see a comedy show, or grab some ice cream and go for a walk with a friend, but it’s not really the same. It’s nice to spend time one-on-one with a guy I really like and not have to wonder if I’m ever going to hear from him again.
- It’s nice to feel wanted. No one can deny that having someone who texts you good morning, cares how your day went, and wants to spend all their free time with you feels good. I may have had plenty to keep me occupied when I was single, but now that I’m not, I’m cool with admitting that I really like this whole “being in a relationship” thing.
