Things I Loved About Being Single
As I start to pack up my apartment and move into a new stage of life, I’m anticipating a lot of new things on the horizon. But, as always, there are things I leave behind. And one of them is my swingin’ single sort of life. So today, I will honor that life with a list. A reminder to myself of why this was good, and hopefully a reminder to others of the positives in a situation we so often find to be negative.
Things I Loved About Being Single
- Living alone – I’ll admit, I wasn’t so thrilled about this at first. And it certainly does have some downsides. But overall living alone is kind of awesome. I can walk around naked whenever I want and wear ratty comfy clothes without wondering how they look to someone else. I can eat weird nutritionally unsound meals and there’s no one to judge me. I can have ice cream for breakfast without funny looks! My apartment is decorated exactly how I want it and is perfect for me, and no one ever complains about my pictures on the walls, or my area rug, or why they can’t have their couch/desk/hideous floor lamp displayed. I am the master of the thermostat and no one ever complains about it. I only watch what I want to watch on TV and I never have to go into another room to watch it. I don’t have to be quiet when I get up in the mornings. I can turn on every light in the place at 5 AM. I go to the bathroom with the door open. I shower with it open too. My bathroom never gets humid and gross. And I never have to collect anyone’s dirty socks or underwear when it’s laundry day.
- Sleeping arrangements – I have never slept better in my life. I have a whole glorious queen sized bed all to myself. I don’t wake up in the middle of the night because someone’s snoring too loud. I don’t feel anyone shifting about in their sleep. There’s no other alarm to go off and wake me up when I don’t have to be up yet. The covers are just the way I like them. And I sleep like a rock every night.
- Social Obligations – The only social obligations I have are my own. I make plans without asking anyone. I don’t have to worry about someone else’s schedule or preferences. I don’t have to decide if they’ll be too bored. I don’t have to give anything up because I didn’t have to go visit Uncle Joe last year. I don’t have to make nice with anyone else’s co-workers (because frankly making nice with my own is quite enough sometimes). I don’t even have to make plans at all if I don’t want to. I can plan ahead by as much as a I want or as little as I want. I can accept last minute invitations if I feel like it, or refuse them without feeling like a stick in the mud. And if I want to make a date with my pajama pants, my couch, and the Lifetime movie channel, I can do that without anyone passing judgment. In fact, I can do it without anyone even knowing.
- Disgusting habits – I can clip my toenails in the living room. I can sing off key in the shower. I can pick my nose. And if the urge comes upon me, yes indeed, I can pass gas. I don’t have to apologize, or excuse myself, or even look around to see if anyone noticed. And if I deny doing it later (because I’m a delicate flower and I certainly never do any of that) there’s no one to call me a liar.
- Meals – I eat when I’m hungry. And when I’m not hungry? I don’t. And I have whatever I feel like having. And no one shakes their head, or complains because they don’t like it, or whines about being starved to death.
I could go on, but I’ll stop here. And yes, there are things I was not so fond of as well. But there is so much to be happy about and grateful for. So much so, in fact, that I almost didn’t want to give it up.
But in the end, all things must change and I am embracing new adventures. Hopefully they’ll live up to my expectations.
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I hear ya sister! Those are all the things I love about being single and living alone! No one to answer to but me!!!
I don’t mind so much the not being single thing. But it will be a big adjustment to live with someone else again.
I love living alone too. There really are perks to it… of course, you also have to change the liter box, take out the trash, and do the dishes all by yourself. Take the good with the bad, I guess.
At least in my apartment we have a trash service!
Even though I’ve never lived with a guy, I think this new adventure is certainly worth embracing. Sure, you’ll both have to make adjustments for each other, but I have a feeling it will be worth it.
Oh I think the same, or I wouldn’t have decided to do it.
LOVE this post – and I totally agree with all of them…I was so afraid of being alone, living alone etc., but REVEL in it now. Amazing switch!
Absolutely! Don’t bash it til you try it.
Wait – you have to stop walking around naked when you move in with someone? DAMN!
Love your list
Most men would assure you the walking around naked does NOT have to stop. However, it’s not as fun when someone else is leering at you.
Sleeping alone is the BEST. Waking up with your special someone is nice, but the sleep is never as good as when it’s totally quiet and still in the bedroom.
All dark and quiet and still, and everything’s the perfect temperature… but at least I’ll gain the ability to roll over and cuddle at will!
fabulous post! I feel exactly the same way. I’m in love with a great guy and wonder what the future holds, but I am also in love with living on my own. perhaps it’s possible to have the best of both worlds – there is not enough attention paid to alternative arrangements… please keep us updated on what it’s like to live with a boy!!!
Oh don’t worry, I’ll be sure to continue to post and you will undoubtedly get the tales of living together too.
I do expect to see another post soon, titled …
“What I Like About Not Living Alone.”
Well you’ll have to wait a while for me to build the list. Took me two years of living alone to write this one!
I have roommates, but I’ve noticed that even if I’m all alone, I say “excuse me” when I belch. It kind of amuses me.
Hypothetically, were I to experience a gaseous expulsion while alone, I may say something more like “That was a good one!” But obviously being the delicate flower that I am, that will not happen.
It’s easy to get hung up about wanting to be with someone but in many ways your quality of life decreases during a relationship. The best thing about being single for me is not having to share a bed. And not being accountable to anyone, but that’s a given.
Nice blog. Please check out my dating disasters when you get a minute.
If a relationship is reducing your quality of life, then it’s just not the right relationship. The right ones always enhance.
Honestly, this statement is one that is usually repeated by people who are looking for reasons not to get serious with someone. That has been my personal experience. But it’s not a fair blanket statement. Because with the right person, there is no question your life is enhanced because they share it with you.
As for sleeping, it’s just something to get used to. If you sleep in a bed with someone enough, you’ll adjust and sleep just fine. Trust me on this one.
There’s nothing wrong with being single. Many have been single all of their lives and will continue. Sometimes you have to appreciate being single before being with someone else but then again, it’s always nice to have someone.