As a single millennial, the world is your oyster. Yet there’s still a lot of focus and pressure on finding the dream guy and ending your single days. Should you really be so quick to give up life as a singleton? Maybe not. Jumping into a relationship should never be done lightly—you may soon miss these benefits of riding solo:
- Pursuing your goals with all guns blazing Yes, it’s not 1955 and you can have both a relationship and a career, but whether it’s working on your laptop ’til 2 a.m. or bouncing out of bed in the morning ready to take on the world without having to snuggle first, being single means you can chase your dreams without hurting anyone’s feelings.
- Traveling where and when you want Factoring in the needs of two people can really take the spontaneity out of travel adventures. Splitting costs is great and all, but you can’t do the whole “Eat, Pray, Love” thing with a dude in tow. And you definitely can’t make out with beautiful foreigners.
- Having all the friend catch-ups Relationships take up time and usually the first thing to be sacrificed when making room for one is excess time with your friends. But when you’re stuck watching a Marvel movie instead of drinking wine and chatting with your girlfriends, you may start to question your decisions.
- Getting your flirt on You’ve gotta love that buzz you get from some great witty banter with a cute guy you’ve just met. Not only is flirting good for your social skills, a nice little ego boost and an adrenaline rush, it’s also just fun AF.
- Not having to hang out with people you don’t like Whether it’s weird family members or an obnoxious best friend, you’re not obliged to spend time with people who grind your gears. You also don’t have to bring anyone with you to your own social events and worry if they’re having a good time or babysit them.
- Shamelessly indulging in your weird habits and quirks Whether it’s eating guacamole with a spoon watching the Kardashians or performing your bi-weekly salt water flush, you can keep up your gross rituals without judgment.
- Watching whatever you want My Brother-in-Law hates “The Bachelor” and admitted to me that he makes sure the TV is always on a different channel so my sister doesn’t “get any ideas” about watching it. Other than being the ultimate deception, it makes me very sad for her Wednesday nights.
- Other dudes The concept of “The One” is ridiculous. Which means there are hundreds, maybe thousands of compatible matches out there for everyone. You probably don’t think about this when you’re all smitten, but this guy would have to be pretty fantastic to forfeit all those other contenders.
- Experiencing all different kinds of love When a relationship isn’t soaking up a ton of your love, you can channel it elsewhere. Whether it’s a pet, niece, or your best friend, it’s nice to have the opportunity to really nurture those bonds. And unlike with a guy, these different kinds of love will never break your heart.
- Not shaving if you CBF I love that silky smooth feeling as much as the next person, but growing a winter coat is my favorite part of the cooler months. It doesn’t matter how cold it is, if you’re in a relationship sooner or later you’ll be baring some skin. And if you can braid your leg hair it may be considered a turnoff.
- Having full control over your diet I struggle to keep the cookie gorging demon inside me restrained at the best of times. The last thing I need is some guy who can finish a whole pizza without gaining an inch dictating meal times.
- Really thinking about what you want in life without being influenced Even if you’re trying to keep things casual or it’s early days, it’s hard to think in depth about life plans without factoring in someone you have feelings for. And with them in mind, soul-searching about where you want to be is quite limiting.
- Dancing enthusiastically to “Single Ladies” And all other perks of being in the single sisterhood. Sure, the girls are still going to include you even when you’re all sickeningly loved up, but there’s a special bond between lone-wolves going through singledom together that you won’t be privy to anymore.
- Sleeping alone I’ve never understood song lyrics that cry about sleeping alone. Sleeping alone is wonderful. You can stretch out and not be disturbed by snoring, wriggling, heavy breathing—or worry you’re doing those things. You also don’t have to lose sleep in ridiculous cuddle positions which, let’s be honest, are always uncomfortable for at least one party.
- Looking like crap Sure you get to the point in a relationship where you don’t always care about putting in effort with your appearance. But being single and knowing no one is going to show up on your doorstep inspires a whole new level of hermit lady slob life. And it’s marvelous.
- No drama Ideally, your relationship shouldn’t have too much of this, but there are going to be fights at some point. There’s also something especially relaxing about a night in not spent worrying about some dude, what he’s doing, or who he’s doing it with.
- The excitement of the unknown Most relationships come complete with their own set of parameters. Although some people like this security, having your life set out like a well-planned roadmap is a bit of a buzzkill. The sky is the limit for single millennial ladies out there, so know what you’re giving up before you give your all to a guy.