This post is probably going make some people upset with me, but I think these are good things to think about. This is what I have found. Let me preface this; I am really "pro couple". I love couples and being in a couple. I just think there are some perks of being single. Here they are:
You can do what you want.
You want to just sit around? You can. You want to work late? You can. You want to play some starcraft? You play it. You want to leave a party? You leave. Life is a lot simpler when you can just do what you want (as long as what you are doing is still 'right'), and not have to take someone else into consideration.
You can have female friends.
It is much more difficult to maintain female friendships when you are in a relationship. This is something I have come to accept. If you're not in one, they are almost as simple as making friends with guys. Female friends that you are not dating offer a completely unique type of friendship which is really a great, enjoyable experience.
Jealousy is not in your vocabulary.
I guess it depends on who you are dating, but jealousy can be rampant in a relationship. And it sucks. Your partner can be jealous of practically anything and everything: your work, your cloths, another girl that passed on the street, your car or motorcycle, your mother, sports, your computer, your friends, and especially those female co-workers or dance partners. Why can't they just trust you and leave the jealousy to those who really deserve it? Isn't me spending tons of time, investing my entire life and future into you enough? Why do you need everything else? I think this comes down to a boundary problem, and is one that many men and women have.
You can invest in your friends.
How often do we hear "they abandoned their friends when they started dating X?" We don't see them anymore. One of the greatest perks of being single is the amazing friendships you cultivate and experience while you are single. Friendships can be world-class and last for your entire life. You can have as many friendships as you can build. Partners you only get one at a time, and if you decide you are not right for each other, you say good bye. Is it really worth sacrificing all of your friendship investments for your current dating partner that may or may not be with you in a year or 3 years? Balance is key.
You can just be you.
Your awkward at a party, you say a bunch of stupid things, you make fun of yourself, you like to get a little wild, or you just like to be a nerd. The only person's brand that is at stake is your own. You can just act natural. You don't have to worry about keeping up someone else's image, or filtering everything you say through the magic partner filter so you don't accidently offend them or one of their close friends.
You can be more emotionally stable.
You probably don't agree, but give me a fair read. When you're not in a relationships, no one gets intensely upset at you. No one will jump up in arms when you do something wrong. You may have some tension with your boss and co-workers but you work around it. In a relationship, people get upset and not happy very quickly, and it throws you. You have to recover, put things back in place, talk it over. Not to mention all of the feelings, attraction, time with and time apart. Emotions in a relationship are like a roller coaster. It may be true that when single you have to deal with loneliness, but you are going to feel that in a relationship too. So might as well start getting used to that feeling, it's not going away. At least when your lonely and single you know why. When coupled and lonely it’s a much more complex emotion because you think you have someone to blame.
You can flirt much as you want.
Flirting is fun, but can raise some eyebrows when you are coupled.
You only have to make yourself happy.
It is really hard to manage your own wants, desires, expectations and emotions. It can be almost a 25% job. But if and when you can, life is extremely peaceful, happy and enjoyable. When you try to manage just 1 other person's wants, desires, expectations and emotions it makes this job much more difficult. Decisions get a lot more complex and situations arise where it feels like you need college level math in order to figure out what to do.
It's easier to put God first.
When you have God in the center of your life, you do things in the right order. You know life is temporal. You prioritize bringing people closer to God. You volunteer at church and in missions around the world. You worship God full heartedly. When in a relationships s/he becomes the center of your attention and competes with God. She wants to be put first and you would like to put her first too. You want to spend time with her, travel, make a family, do your own family thing, ignore the world. You are no longer are ok with dying, because she isn't ok with you dying because your life insurance policy is only 1.2 Million, and she thinks that isn't enough for her to find another hubby and also take care of the kids in the process. Of course not, but she just doesn't want to lose you.
You can get A LOT done.
Do I need to explain this? More time, focus, attention, and passion to the things you want to do.
