Movies, books and TV shows tell us that being single in your 30s is something to fear. With all of your friends pairing off and getting married, it can be easy to feel like you’ve been left behind with the clock ticking away.
It’s a very common pressure, and one that Emma Watson can relate to. The actress told British Vogue she found 2019 "tough" as she "had all these ideas" about what her life would look like at this point.
"I was like, 'Why does everyone make such a big fuss about turning 30? This is not a big deal… Cut to 29, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I feel so stressed and anxious. And I realise it’s because there is suddenly this bloody influx of subliminal messaging around."
"If you have not built a home, if you do not have a husband, if you do not have a baby, and you are turning 30, and you’re not in some incredibly secure, stable place in your career, or you’re still figuring things out… There’s just this incredible amount of anxiety."
Like many other women her age, the 29-year-old Harry Potter star felt "stressed and anxious" due to the "bloody influx of subliminal messaging" around her, but now she’s decided to take an epic stance against societal pressures.
"It took me a long time, but I’m very happy [being single] – I call it being self-partnered’," she said.
Is self-partnering the new conscious uncoupling? Who knows. But clearly Watson has wised up to the fact that being single in your 30s is awesome. Here are a few reasons why…
1. Me, Myself and I
While your married friends are arguing about finances, housework and parenting, you only have to answer to one person: yourself. This means you spend a heck of a lot less time squabbling over domestic dramas and more time doing the things you love.
2. A family of friends
When you’re in a long-term relationship, it can be all too easy to neglect your friendships. That’s why being single in your 30s is great – you have the time to invest in your friendships and build a solid circle of pals that will last for life.
3. You never have to share
The remote. The duvet. Your food. When you’re living alone, you get to call the shots. That means you’ll never get judged for spending your Sunday watching repeats of The Gilmore Girls.
4. Your home is your total sanctuary
Speaking of living alone, you’ve never had to compromise on the way you’d like your space to look and feel. A boyfriend might not be into those designer floral bedsheets or that leopard print armchair, but thankfully, there’s nobody to question your creative vision.
5. You know yourself completely
It might sound cheesy, but you’ve spent a lot of time alone, which means you’re completely at one with yourself. While other people might feel frightened of spending time by themselves, you’ve found this amazing sense of unshakeable inner calm.
6. You can travel at the drop of a hat
OK, you still need to book the time off work, but without a partner to consult or kids to consider, you can head off whenever you like. Travelling solo means you can snap up those last-minute cheap flights and be on a beach somewhere a week later.
7. You don’t feel the need to settle
At the end of your 20s, you obsessed about the fact that you’d end up alone, so you dated quite a few guys that you knew weren’t right. Now you’ve faced your fear of being single in your 30s, you don’t feel the need to tie down the next guy that comes along. You’re in the perfect mental space to wait for someone great.
8. You don’t have to deal with in-laws
Enough said.
8. Dating is actually fun
Unlike your married friends, you still get that fizzy excited feeling on a first date when you’re just about to meet. Sure, they might not all be the one, but getting to know new people is all part of the fun.
9. You do you
Want to spend the whole weekend lying on the sofa? Sure. Fancy going dancing until 3am in the morning? There’s nobody to stop you.
Whether it’s eating healthier and working out or seeing friends and indulging in hobbies, your schedule is wide open for you to fill as you wish. And what could be better than that?
