I’ve been in and out of relationships for the past 14 years or so. I also have had my share of roommates. In pretty much every instance, I discovered that living with other people slowly drives me insane. Granted, I’m hoping there’s one person out there who I mesh with and doesn’t drive me crazy, but generally, I find I am much happier and at ease when I don’t have to deal with picking up after someone else, or whether they need attention right now while I’m in the middle of something, or have them nagging me, or whatever else. I am pretty free to do whatever I like at whatever time I like. I can walk around naked if I feel like it, I can sleep in and play loud music, and take a shower at 2 am if I feel like it.
I also relish my quiet alone time and when I’m in a relationship, I feel like I need it on a daily basis, but that is rarely acknowledged or granted. So, I say own it and love it! It’s a kind of freedom that doesn’t exist if you’re not living alone or if you’re in a relationship with someone. You can fill any lonely feelings with friends or activities and I think it opens you up more to meeting new people.
My friends and I were recently discussing this, actually. Not everyone is comfortable enough with themself to dine, see movies, or travel alone. The three of us all enjoy solitude and we commiserated over enjoying the freedom that comes from it, and also kind of laughed about how people see a single in a restaurant/movie theater and automatically pity that person for being alone or whatever. What these pitiers don’t get is that some of us like doing these things and we are alone by choice.