Benefits Of Being Single In Your 20s
For many people, their twenties can be the most exciting, most liberating time of their lives, where their fondest (and naughtiest) memories were formed.
It’s a time for self-exploration, for learning about the things you like and don’t like, and for shaping your life the way you want it going forward.
The last thing you need is to get bogged down in a serious, committed relationship while there’s still so much of yourself you’ve yet to discover.
Whether you’re single by choice or because everyone keeps swiping left on your profile, you should be aware of the benefits of being single in your twenties, and how you can use this freedom to make the most of life.
Benefit 1 – You’ll learn about yourself
At this age, you’re still figuring out your likes, dislikes, what you want to do with your life, etc., so it might be too early to commit yourself to one person just yet.
This is your chance to explore the world on your own terms and make some mistakes (many, many mistakes) along the way without worrying about how they’ll affect someone else.
Benefit 2 – You’ll gain your independence
Whether you’ve just graduated from college/university or recently moved out of your parents’ basement, your twenties is where you’ll gain that much-needed independence that will prepare you for adulthood.
You’ll get the hang of things on your own without help from a supportive though inhibitory spouse. You’ll learn how to handle things by yourself when the smelly brown stuff hits the fan.
Benefit 3 – Your time and resources can be used for other things
Your career, your hobbies, travel, your family and friends… these are all things you get to concentrate on when you’re not worrying about being someone’s partner.
Think about how much more time you’ll have on your hands when you don’t have to clean up after a messy boyfriend. Or think about how much leisure money you’ll have for yourself if you’re not spending it on an extravagant girlfriend.
Benefit 4 – You’re less likely to waste your time with the wrong people
Let’s face it, “young” and “dumb” usually go hand in hand; and being in your twenties gives you a license to make silly decisions, including getting with people who have red flags sticking out of every orifice!
If you remain single throughout this period in your life when you don’t know better and are still naive, you’ll likely avoid choosing the wrong partners.
If you get into a relationship in your twenties, there’s a high chance you could end up settling down with someone who’s totally wrong for you.
Benefit 5 – You’ll be available to meet The One
Your perfect match is out there somewhere, biding their time till the day you cross paths. But what if, when that day comes, you’re crossing that path with someone else?
This is the danger of getting into the wrong relationship in your twenties. Your soulmate might be waiting for you, but because you recklessly anchored yourself to the wrong person while you were young and naive, they might pass you by.
If you stay single, you’ll be ready and available, and presumably in the right mindset by the time you meet “your person”.
Benefit 6 – You’re free to do some… carnal exploration
There are certain benefits that come with having a partner in your life, things you might miss if you remain single. Thankfully, being single doesn’t necessarily preclude you from having fun of an intimate nature.
While promiscuity isn’t advised, and comes with many risks (most of which you’re already familiar with, so I won’t bore you with a lecture on safe sex), you could be casual and reap some of the physical benefits of companionship without committing to one person. Your freedom is maintained, and everyone’s happy.
Benefit 7 – No bad experiences to make you relationship-averse
The heart is fickle, especially the heart belonging to a young person in their prime. Thus, many of the relationships people enter into in their twenties come with a plethora of problems that older, more responsible people don’t face (at least not with as much frequency).
It’s quite easy to become wary of relationships when you’ve spent your twenties falling in and out of love, jumping in and out of relationships, getting your heart broken, getting cheated on, being disrespected etc.
Being single eradicates all of those woes, leaving your heart intact and ready for your Big Love.
Benefit 8 – No need for self-grooming
I’m not talking about basic personal hygiene here, all right? You’ll still need to shower and brush your teeth every day. (Just because there’s no significant other to impress, doesn’t mean the rest of us should have to put up with your stench!)
Some of the other aspects of grooming, however – painful waxes, constant shaving, stuff like that – won’t be as important if there’s no one around to benefit from them. It’s totally all right if you skip a bikini wax every now and then, or if your chest hair has grown so long that a family of squirrels has moved in.
If you’re single, you won’t be under pressure to always look your best in order to keep your partner happy. When you’re in your twenties, you have far more pressing things to concern yourself with.
Benefit 9 – You’ll learn to appreciate yourself
Before you can commit to another person, you need to be secure in who you are and have enough self love that you can be happy with or without a significant other. By staying single in your twenties, you’ll learn to truly love yourself and your own company, independent of a partner.
This in turn will make you a much more stable partner when the time comes to settle down.
Benefit 10 – No one to boss you around
Tempted to leave your dirty dishes piled high in the sink? Wanna leave the toilet seat up? Thinking of starting a petting zoo in your basement? Well, as a free, single agent you can do all of these things without consulting with or answering to anyone (okay, so you might need to inform your landlord about the zoo thing…).
You can come and go as you please, stay out as late as you like, even eat dessert before dinner if you want.
Conclusion: being alone in your 20s – good or bad?
Look, I get it. Everyone and their grandmother seems to be in a relationship, and you’re wondering if you’re missing out.
I won’t lie and tell you that you’re not (being all partnered up also has its perks, but we’re not here to talk about those). However, depending on where you are in your life, singlehood might be perfect for you.
Remember, what may look like the perfect relationship/marriage might be a facade; and that happy couple who’s always smiling when you see them might very well hate each other when no one’s looking.
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side (it might just appear that way in the right lighting).
The bottom line is, as long as you appreciate your own company, surround yourself with good friends, and make productive use of your time, it’s quite possible to be genuinely happy as a single person in your twenties. In fact, you might enjoy it so much that you’ll hardly even notice your single status.
