No partner, no problem: It’s Singles’ Day

No boyfriend or girlfriend? No late-night “Where are you?” texts? No one waiting for a reply? Well, there is good news — September 23 is Singles’ Day.

The day offers single people a chance to celebrate their independence rather than treat their relationship status as a problem. After all, there is no rule saying life becomes complete only after finding a partner.

Singles’ Day is observed on different dates around the world. In China, it is celebrated on November 11, or 11.11, with the four ones symbolising single people. September 23 is also observed as Singles’ Day in some places.

One of the biggest perks of being single is having complete control over your schedule. Want to sleep until noon? Go ahead. Suddenly craving coffee at your favourite café? No permission required. Want to watch the same movie for the fifth time? Nobody gets to complain.

Being single also means having more time for friends, family, hobbies and personal goals. And if you want to dress up, order your favourite food or spend the entire evening watching movies, the only person you need to convince is yourself.

But there is one thing single people should probably avoid — comparing their lives with social media. Your feed may be full of engagement rings, couple photos and surprise dates, but social media rarely comes with the arguments, misunderstandings and “seen” messages.

Most importantly, being single does not necessarily mean being lonely. A person can be surrounded by friends and family and enjoy a fulfilling life without being in a relationship.

There is also no deadline for finding love. Some find it at 20, some at 30 and some much later. Others may simply prefer to remain single.

So, on Singles’ Day, there is no need to check your phone every five minutes hoping for a romantic message. Order your favourite food, meet your friends, watch a movie or simply enjoy some quiet time.

After all, being single may mean there is no one to say “Have you eaten?” — but at least there is no one asking, “Who were you talking to?” either.

-AJM