More and more people in their thirties are single nowadays. We recently spoke to a few single men and women, who shared their thoughts on the ups and downs of flying solo. Here’s what they had to say:

 

My ups: “Being single is a little bit like being free. Free from having to explain myself, free from having to compromise, free from having to make concessions; free to get home drunk in the wee hours of the morning, to leave dishes lying around, to cuddle with friends, to rent a movie of my choice without reproach. It’s also the opportunity to have many partners at once, but that may also be one downside...”

 

My downs: “Being single is a little bit like being alone. Alone when making decisions, taking on new projects, settling down; alone when getting home drunk in the wee hours of the morning, when doing the dishes; having only friends to cuddle with, renting movies without a partner to share the experience with. It’s also the possibility of feeling lonely, even while having several partners at once…”

 

My ups: “I have one less child to take care of!”

 

My downs: “It’s not always easy being single with two kids, but despite the lack of support on a daily basis, I can take advantage of some alone time when my little ones are with their father, which did not happen when we were together. Plus, I am the sole master of my life. Once the kids are in bed, I can decide to leave the dishes for tomorrow and spend a lazy evening in bed with a book or a movie without having to hear anyone screaming while watching a hockey game on television. I have nothing to negotiate; there are no fights and no compromises!”

 

My ups: “Being single allows me to meet a bunch of new people. I have no obligations and no one gets on my nerves! I do whatever I want whenever I want.  

 

My downs: “I haven’t made love in a long time; it’s been a long time since someone has given me kisses on the stomach. Sleeping with someone that you don’t know or barely know isn’t the same. Plus, being single, I have no one with whom to share my day-to-day with, and I show up unaccompanied at couples’ dinner parties.”

 

My ups: “Freedom! The reason my relationships never last is because I feel castrated. My girlfriends always want to change me.”

 

My downs: “The loneliness. For me, nothing compares to sleeping next to someone special. Yes, I can have one-night stands, but it’s just like playing a video game over and over again and never getting past level one: it becomes redundant.”

 

My ups: “I don’t owe anything to anyone. Since I’m an avid traveler, this freedom is a plus.”

 

My downs: “Boredom. Sometimes, it’s boring to be alone. I’ve been single for a long time now, so I’m more aware of what I want. I’ve become pickier; I don’t want to get into a relationship with just anybody.”

Yan, 32, has been single for 1 year

My ups: “I do what I want whenever I want! I missed this sense of freedom the most when I was in a relationship.”

 

My downs: “Even if I’ve dated people long-term, I believe I haven’t been in a real relationship since I was 17 years old. I would like to be able to one day say that I’m in love.”