We live in a world where relationships consume us. Everywhere we look we see pictures of happy couples. We see them at restaurants, walking on the street, while scrolling through social media. The world wants us to be in a relationship, but I don't wanna be. And that okay. I like being single!

I can be free.

I’m not locked down to one person. I can do what I wanna do, I can be who I wanna be. I can hang out with my friends and not have to worry about who cares. I can be myself completely and not have to worry about things. I don't have to be locked down, or make sure I call/send a text every night. I don’t have ties holding me down.

I can be myself.

I don't have to worry about “being to wild” or “looking to young”. I can wear whatever I want and do whatever I want. I don’t have to watch what I do so I’m not “annoying”. I don't have to go to my boyfriends house and “be on my best behavior”. I can simply go out with my best friend and do all the wild and crazy things I normally do.

I don't have to check in.

When I'm single I don't have to check in with anyone. I don't have to tell anyone I’m going out with my guy friends, or when I’ll be home. I don't have to constantly feel like I need to text someone throughout the day.

I don't have to plan time.

I don’t have to make time a couple times a week to hang out. I don’t have to plan ahead. I can go over a week without hanging out with someone and not feel bad about it. I can shoot a text moments before I want to hang out and it be okay.

I can flirt.

This might sound bad but I can flirt with whoever I want and not feel bad. Naturally I am a flirty person, and I can’t help that. When I’m in a relationship, I have to try and hold this back. If I forget and come across flirty with someone, it usually causes a problem. Sometimes being flirty makes things more fun, you don’t have to worry about the commitment. You can simply meet a guy at a party, dance with him and then be on your way.

I can hang out with who I want.

I don't have to make sure I can hang out with someone. I can hang out with any guy I want, whenever I want. I can hang out with any friend group I want, and not worry about what my boyfriend thinks about who I hang out with. I can go out on a Friday night and not worry about who I’m going to see. If someone asks to dance I can say yes.

I can say I love you and it not send chills up my spine.

When you say I love you to friends it’s a different feeling than when you say “I love you” to your boyfriend. When you say I love you to your friends it means you will always be there for them, you will always support them and much more. But when you say “I love you” to a boyfriend you are saying you will always take care of them, and you want to be their forever. This forever part makes the chills run up my spine.

It allows you to find yourself, and become who you truly are.

When you are out of a relationship you begin to discover who you truly are. You don’t have someone to help define you. You truly discover yourself. You learn more about yourself, what makes you happy, what makes you sad. You learn some hobbies, you learn how to be a complete person without anyone. You learn to be strong and independent.

You don’t have to mess with jerks.

Yes this sounds bad but sometimes in life we meet people who are simply jerks. The guys that are only looking for a relationship, or a hook up are sometimes jerks. When you’re single you don’t have to worry about talking to some guy and them not liking something about you and being a complete jerk for no reason. Sometimes it’s fun to not have to deal with jerks.

It allows you to figure out what you do and don’t want in a relationship.

It allows you to set standard for yourself. It allows you to discover who you really want to date. What you really want out of a relationship. It allows you to figure out what you will and won’t tolerate. It allows you to figure it all out before jumping into something new. It allows you to get over the old habits of a past relationship, and set new standards for yourself.

I can spend the summer with my best friends.

I can spend the summer with the ones who have been their for me for a long time. I can have the pictures with them, and the stories with them for a lifetime. I can make the summer of a lifetime! The summer of good memories. Instead of the summer “you dated a douche”.

This article may seem very self conceited but after spending multiple years in and out of relationships, it’s time to focus on myself. It’s time to do what’s best for me. College is a time to figure out who you are and what you wanna do. You should figure who you are and where you wanna be before going into a relationship. Even when you are sure of who you are, you don't need a relationship to define that.

I know relationships are suppose to be fun and worth it! But when we think about it, they do hold us down. They hold us down in a good way, and they build us up. But they also change who we are. They teach us how to be with someone, how to truly care about someone. How to share our lives with someone. Relationships are an amazing thing that changes people’s lives for the better, but sometimes being single for a while is better for yourself. You don't need to be defined by who you are dating. You need to be defined by who you are.

Wait for the person that sparks a fire inside you. Someone that you can’t live without. Be friends first, best friends! Make sure this person is someone special. You can make them wait to date you. You don’t have jump into things.

“ Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.”