Cambridge is a small but dense universe connecting you to new, fascinating people that float by, flicker in the distance, run past you, all waiting to be discovered. Sometimes though, you walk past the eleventh couple in a row strolling hand in hand down King’s Parade, and you wonder what it would feel like to be in that situation. Particularly in this frigid weather. Especially now that Valentine’s day is a not so distant memory, and you could very well do with a date (or two?). But today, I will show you that exploring University life being single can be a blessing and that you should make the most of whilst you can!

Before we delve into the advantages, let us first address the massive elephant in the room: time. Good old time. You have probably already spread yourself thin for that JCR position, your weekly training session or going to that unusual society that sounds so bizarre but makes you so happy. And do we want to discuss that other side gig you’re occasionally dabbling in when you feel inspired? Yes, I’m talking about work. Between radio, writing, running, acting, working and just breathing, I feel that I would have no time for myself and my friends if I had to factor in love as well.

Not having to spend time app-trotting back and forth from Tinder to Bumble means having more time to make my LinkedIn profile stand out! Blind dates might be exciting, but to me very few things match the satisfaction of a whole new page of contacts after a networking session. Now that I am halfway through my degree, the job hunting efforts have gradually turned into an extracurricular activity in their own right and on top of this, I cannot conceive of a whole other human being to attract, impress and keep interested. Let’s look at it this way: the sensual game of seduction does not seem to me as urgent as finding a solid way to pay off my student loan debt!

All right, I admit that the idea of some sweet Valentine’s Day loving might be enough to get tingly butterflies. Trust me, I can picture how exhilarating it may be to get the fancy chocolate and a warm tight hug when it’s cold outside. But then I quickly remember that a box of Ferrero Rocher costs nearly one week’s worth of Aldi groceries. And nothing says “I love you” more than being one transaction closer to overdraft, am I right?

The list of the advantages of singlehood keeps going on! Did you know that it has been statistically proven that people tend to gain weight right after settling into a relationship? All that time on the treadmill, all that discipline it took me to finally fit in that super lush sequinned dress gone in the matter of a term, because of a series of dates? Personally, I need all the fitness I can get, if not to look good in my clothes, certainly to cycle all the way to Anglia Ruskin on time for my weekly radio show.

If you exclude romance you can be assured you won’t have to go through all those headaches in the attempt to figure out whether they’re the one, the two or the three even.

If you exclude romance you can be assured you won’t have to go through all those headaches in the attempt to figure out whether they’re the one, the second or the third even. There is something incredibly romantic about having these infinite possibilities of love before us to explore with the power of our vivid imagination. A great perk is to be able to go on these fantasy trips without feeling a pang of guilt! And sometimes even a new muse for your haikus might come out of them.

As a single traveller in a world of pairs you might know that some nights the sexiest thing you see before going to bed might be that deliciously eloquent and elegantly written conclusive paragraph in the script you came up with on your own. Or your becoming smile in the mirror whilst you finalize your skincare routine. What I want to give you at the end of this article is the reassurance that you really do not have to justify your singlehood to your coupled friends or to yourself.  And in case you are still not convinced that you are lucky to be single, remember my mother’s wise Italian pearl of wisdom: “meglio soli che mal’accompagnati”, or less musically but more intelligibly: “better on your own than in bad company”. Love can have so many forms: celebrate it on the 14th by pursuing your passions, tasting free fudge with your friends and adding that extra mile on the Nike Running Club app. Cherish your own time. If you don’t, the Corpus Clock grasshopper will.