Sometimes it may seem as though everyone you know is in a relationship. It’s not abnormal to feel lonely or unloved when everyone’s got someone but you – but, it’s totally okay! You’re going to be okay! When you’re young (and at any age at all) it’s never mandatory to be in a relationship, and there are a lot of benefits that comes with being single that most forget to talk about. If you’re single, here are some of the benefits that you can indulge in to enjoy your life where it’s at:
A major reason I personally prefer to be single in my teenage years/ early twenties is because you never know where and when you’ll meet someone that’s more perfect for you than anyone you know. Travelling, university, work, parties – there’s so much opportunity to meet new people, and if you’re tied down from a young age you miss out on the whole experience. So, one of the greatest benefits of not having a boyfriend or girlfriend is the broadness of possibility in what’s to come.
One thing that absolutely sucks about being in a relationship is your obligation to another person. When you’re young, there’s so much that you want to experience. Having a partner sometimes makes it difficult to do things like wear what you want, drink with your friends, be in social settings, and that really impacts the way you live your life. When you’re young, it really is beneficial to be single, because you owe nothing to anyone but yourself.
Between work and school, it’s already hard enough to balance your time. When you’re only obligation is taking care of yourself, you actually have time to practice self-love, get to know yourself, and have time to do things you enjoy. A night in with a face mask is sometimes all you need, and when you’re busy making time for another person you sometimes lose out on the simple joys of life like these.
Everyone has their own preferences of course, but I personally think that your experiences shape your life. As a teenager, I think part of the fun is getting to experience different types of guys: learning what you like, what you don’t like, and overall just being involved with different kinds of people. I think one of the benefits of this is that when it’s time that you do get in a serious commitment, you’ll know what you deserve and what not to stand for, and you’ll be ready to make someone else happy.
We all know how the story goes: your friend gets a boyfriend, and you never see her again (yes, I’m dramatic). Making memories with your friends is something to take advantage of, because once you reach your mid-twenties everyone will have settled down and will be working full time. You’re only young once, and being free to make memories is something to be thankful for.
Studying, getting an education, working and saving for your future, spending time with your family while everyone is still together: these are the things that young people should be focused on. Another great thing about going through your early life alone is having time for important things.
And the final but greatest point: you’ll be stress free. You’ve got no one to annoy you, no one to please, no one to make your skin break out. You can sleep peacefully and not worry about what anyone else is doing – you can just do YOU, and that’s amazing.
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