10 Things Only Single People Can Do!

It's Valentines (Singles Awareness) Day around the corner, and no matter how many times you tell yourself it's just a day where people in relationships have to spend money, you still have the blues. There's this weird concept going around that singleness is a sort of a disease and the cure is a significant other. Well, there are good times to be had as a single, and the opportunities will not come again. Let's face it, you have 20-30 years as a single, and the rest of your life is marriage! As blissful as it will be, let's focus on the now. Single people, here's what you can do in the meantime:

1) Discover Your Passions - once you are in a relationship, it's amazing how life becomes one giant void that only your other half can fill. Your other half becomes your passion, and if you didn't know what you wanted beforehand, it's easy to give into something more mediocre. "I don't know what I want, but they seem happy, so I'll just fit in with them"

What if you already knew your passions and were pursuing them with all your heart? Not only does it make single life more exciting, it enables you to understand yourself before you allow another person in. Ask yourself, what am I most happy doing? What excites me? What angers me? What gives me peace and rest?

For me, I went to university having only a little clue of what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I was creative, and that was where it ended. I did four completely different papers in my first semester, and realized I didn't want to do music, english literature or biology. What I excelled in was media, but I didn't like that either. The only thing that tickled my fancy was film. So I tried making a film, and suddenly a deep part of me came alive! I'd always loved watching films, and I found knowing directors, composers, actors and producers thoroughly interesting (much to the confusion of my mother). Now I was making one, I knew what I wanted to do with my life, and I've been making movies ever since. I was 21 when I realized what I wanted to do. What if I'd gotten married at 20, and never tried making a film? How sad it would be to never discover what I love the most.

2) Try New Things - sometimes in relationships, you try new things together, but there are certain things you might want to experience that they don't. Of course, you could just spend a day apart and explore them, but why not try it now when there is no one to exclude from your adventure? You wont feel bad for leaving someone behind as you road trip down the coastline, eat a locust or sleep underneath the stars.

3) Understand your beliefs and values - often we leave these vast and important questions unanswered. To get into a relationship without having a foundation of beliefs and values is like walking on a lake of ice not knowing where it's thin or thick. You could potentially drown, or claim their beliefs as your own. They'll be the one taking you to their thick parts of ice, but that might not be where you would've gone without them. It may not be a bad thing, but it's worth exploring this part of yourself, so you aren't resenting anyone for choosing for you. Find a religion that communicates to your heart. I found Christianity, and now it's my whole world. I know I wouldn't want to marry someone who didn't share those beliefs simply because it would be a huge, important part of my life I can't share with them. Understand why you believe what you believe, and it will be easier to find out who is best for you anyway.

4) Spend Money Where You Like - I'm not necessarily saying you should be selfish and only spend it on the latest bling. Take that $50 surplus and stick it where it counts. Surprise your broken-hearted friend with lunch. Support a worthy cause. Save up for your big OE. There's no one to share the money with, so you might as well choose to do good things with it.

5) Live on Nothing - The biggest strain on a relationship (so my married friends tell me) is to live on little to no income. So if you are planning on working for World Vision or studying for 4 years, do it now. It's easier and your other half will thank you they didn't need to live on peanut butter for the first 2 years of married life.

6) Hang out with the opposite sex - yes sir, there's nothing like being able to hang out with new, exciting people. Hanging out with the opposite sex (especially one on one) is not something you can do without annoying your boyfriend/girlfriend, so might as well do it when your single. I'm not talking about dating, but having friends who can help you learn so much about guys/girls by simply having fun with them. You might discover you didn't really want a laid back guy anyway, because they don't get anything done.

7) Choose Your Friends - inevitably, you'll end up hanging out with your significant others friends and family at times, and they may just drive you NUTS! So, while you have the ability, rejoice in choosing your friends and quit hanging out with people who don't keep you positive and encouraged about life.

8) Look Awesome - you enjoy wearing those sweat pants from time to time, and growing that beard when you aren't working. Maybe your other half will like this side to you, or maybe this is your last chance to be your favourite slob. Enjoy.

9) Be Spontaneous - forget a conference, a phone call or argument on whether its good for you or not. No one is there is change your mind. Go try the weird foreign food, leave the city for a day of randomness, throw fruit out a window to see it explode on the 20 stories below. It'll be good if your other half wants to do it too, but who knows? Don't sit around waiting, get crazy! (Have a little common sense though - jumping off a waterfall isn't a good plan. You aren't living in Last of the Mohicans)

10) Enjoy it - it's a choice - a positive attitude towards life in all it's forms and functions will make you a genuinely fun person to be around. Choose to enjoy your single life, otherwise your negativity will continue even when you are in a relationship. Besides, passionate people are attractive people. With a good attitude, you wont be single forever.