Written by Leanna Westerhof. Media by Tawnie Kozora.
DISCLAIMER: This is not a rant article about couples, why you shouldn’t date, or get married; rather, the joys of being single.
1. Being Single is Less Expensive
You don’t have to spend money on dates or presents for your significant other. Instead, you can spend money on yourself! Whether that is enjoying a nice drink from Jo’s Java, movie night, or eating at a restaurant with your friends. You can splurge on yourself or save money!
2. You Have More Time
You don’t have to worry about making time to hang out with your significant other for that important one-on-one time. Instead, you can use that extra time to invest in a job (a little extra money never hurt anybody), school work, hanging out with friends, or have some “me” time. I don’t know about anybody else, but I need some “me” time or else I would go a little crazy.
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3. Do What You Want, When You Want
For those of us who are in our senior year and looking towards the future, we don’t have to worry about the needs of another person. There’s no need to mull over the tough decision about whether you should break-up, get married, or do the long distance thing. It is a relief to not be tied down or dependent upon someone else’s plans. You can do what you want, when you want.
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4. Paul Says It’s Cool
Paul wrote many letters in the New Testament that says it’s A-Okay to be single. It doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with you (though that is what society conveys). He boldly proclaims that it might be better to stay single:
Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me—a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others.” (1 Cor. 7:7, The Message)
In fact, Paul lays out several arguments for marriage and singleness in 1 Corinthians:
“I want you to live as free of complications as possible. When you’re unmarried, you’re free to concentrate on simply pleasing the Master. Marriage involves you in all the nuts and bolts of domestic life and in wanting to please your spouse, leading to so many more demands on your attention. The time and energy that married people spend on caring for and nurturing each other, the unmarried can spend in becoming whole and holy instruments of God. I’m trying to be helpful and make it as easy as possible for you, not make things harder. All I want is for you to be able to develop a way of life in which you can spend plenty of time together with the Master without a lot of distractions.” (1 Corinthians 7: 32-35, The Message)
Single people, just like married people, have a lot to offer the Church. They aren’t a step-down. There’s nothing wrong with them. Devout Christians have done it for years. Ever heard of monks and nuns? As single persons, we can be a blessing to our friends, family, Church, and most importantly, God, in a very unique way. So, pursue God with all of your might while you are single. And maybe, someday, you will get married. And maybe, someday, you won’t.
In today’s society the average marital age for women is 26.5 years and 28.7 for men. In fact, today, just 51% of the population is married. There are pros and cons to getting married early or later in life just like anything else. So don’t worry fellow college peers we still have time!
Again, I want to be perfectly clear. I do not hate couples, the thought of having a significant other, or the thought of being married one day. In all honesty, I would like to get married someday. However, I guess that day is not today. And it is OKAY.
I think a lot of people struggle with being alone; with not having that significant other to take comfort in. I can’t promise that all of us are going to get married, have kids, and own an adorable dog one day. Some of us won’t ever get married. Some of us won’t get married until later in life. I urge you single people out there to embrace this time in your life. You have independence, you have freedom to pursue your dreams and do what you want before you get bogged down with responsibilities (aka kids). Take this time to figure out who you are and what you really want out of life. And then DO it. You don’t need a significant other to enjoy the things you love. Men…this goes for you too.
