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There are many virtues to the single life, which explains why the average age of first marriage goes up with each succeeding generation. The economic equality that women have achieved makes marriage less of a necessity than it was when women only had a few vocational options open to them and faced discrimination in hiring practices. Whether you are a man or woman, staying single is more attractive than ever.
What are the advantages to remaining single?
While family life has its blessings, the single life has far fewer encumbrances. You are able to set your own schedule on a daily basis, and when you want to take a short trip or a longer vacation, you pick all of the details to suit your own personal preferences. You do not have to answer to anyone else as far as your use of your time.
What happens when you get lonely?
This is why so many adult singles date, but do not date exclusively or move beyond the dating phase. Dating allows you to have a companion for events or excursions when you want one, but it also allows you to do your own thing when you want to be alone. It also means that you are left alone if your companion has other plans, but chances are you want it that way if you love the single life.
What if you want to have regular sexual activity?
Sex on demand is not as likely to be available if you are single, unless you want to have multiple partners available to you at any given time. However, as long as you are honest with everyone involved, being single means that you call the shots about your sex life. When you are dishonest, though, partners get angry at you, which definitely makes them unavailable.
How do you get through the holidays?
Single people often feel depressed during the holidays because they do not have a nuclear family. However, the many travel options available to singles during this time of year are attractive. Spending Christmas week in Tahiti, for example, takes the edge off not having a wife and kids in the cold Detroit holidays with you.
The single life is not for everyone. However, if you want to maintain autonomy as you move into your late 20sand early 30s, this is the choice for you.
