Turn on the radio and there's a love song; walk into school and your best friend is there with her boyfriend. Everywhere you look, it's like the universe is reminding you that you're single. But single doesn't have to mean lonely — it's also an amazing time to discover who you really are, what you want out of life, and how many slices of pizza you can eat when you don't have to share the pie (answer: all of them).
Below, 27 girls get real about the perks and pitfalls of single life.
1. "My life is so busy right now with school, jobs, extracurriculars, not to mention the impending doom of picking a college and moving out. So I think if I were in a relationship, that would pile on too much for me to handle. I don't want or need a relationship right now. I'm also just really bad at texting back. I have to try extra hard in a relationship to remember to text back and it's very stressful for me." — Chloe, 17
2. "I have been single for almost a year. At times I have so much love to give, but no one to give it to." — Bailey, 18
3. "Sometimes, the media makes me feel like something is wrong with me because I don't have a boyfriend. Single girls are always either portrayed as being nerdy, plain or slutty on television, while single guys are often shown as the relatable protagonists." — Eden, 18
4. "Whenever I see a super cute romantic plot in a movie or television show (ESPECIALLY Orange is the New Black, that show kills me), I wish I could be in that situation. Also, I love poetry, so when I read love poetry, I think, 'I wish I had someone that I could reflect this on.' Honestly, this hope for a relationship is pretty new for me. I haven't wanted to be romantically involved with someone until recently. Now, these feelings come more often."— Maisie, 17
5. "I tried dating around after breaking up with my boyfriend of one and a half years, but I found that my options at the moment aren't ideal. The guys I tried dating didn't make me feel comfortable to be myself, or they'd try and push the 'open relationship' idea since 'nobody is really fit to date in college.' I think college guys are caught up on this idea that they have to sleep around in order to have the 'right' college experience. I'm not comfortable with being available only when they want me to be. After about three or four duds, I decided that I should hold myself out for someone who really makes me feel good to be around." — Addie, 19
6. "I would love to be married in nine or ten years, but right now I don't need to look for a guy. I need a high school diploma." — Megan, 18
7. "If men can be players, I can too. I don't believe there should be a double standard when it comes to hooking up. When I'm single I like to have something I call a 'rotation,' AKA around three guys that I am causally talking to or hooking up with all at the same time. Currently in my rotation: a frat guy I can take to sorority events, an older guy with a great bod that I can hang out with not in public, and a more nerdy guy that stimulates me intellectually. I've made it clear that I am not looking for a relationship so I can still have a random hookup if I please. It's not fair that guys talk to multiple girls all the time yet if girls do it they are considered 'slutty.'" — Chloe, 22
8. "I'm currently not dating at all, but maybe things will change in college." — Deborah, 17
9. "I was trying to stay single for awhile because I dated a bunch of people who were really crummy. Lately, I've been trying to get back out there but I feel nervous that I'll just find crummy people again. I'm trying to unlearn the behaviors I've conditioned myself to use to push people away... I find that I have to remind myself to let my guard down, even around somebody I like." — Nina, 22
10. "I'm pretty happy being single! I'm a very independent person and sometimes I think a boyfriend or girlfriend would just get in the way. But the worst part about being single is that inevitably sometimes it feels personal. It's easy to tie my insecurities to my relationship status, like maybe I wouldn't be single if I were skinnier or my skin were clearer or whatever I'm not feeling great about that day." — Helen, 21
11. "I'm happy to not be tied down right now. I'm still so young and when the right guy comes along, then I can move forward. I don't spend my time looking into relationships or stressing about dating. I'm a big believer in fate, so I sort of believe that the right guy will find his way to me, or someone will set me up with him." — Alana, 19
12. "I'm dating around at the moment. I think it's fun to go on a few dates with lots of people. I end up finding so many good friends that way!" — Chrysanthemum, 22
13. "I recently moved for college and I'm finding that people in my new city are either too busy for actual relationships or just don't want them. Because I'm a member of the Tinder generation, people are always looking for the next best thing, and that means that first dates are common and second dates are not." — Shira, 19
14. "I just moved to a new city, so I'm excited to see all the guys that are out there. The world is my oyster!" — Nicole, 22
15. "I try to milk my single life for all the fun that it's got.I'm not part of any 'things' right now, but I always like someone. It's fun that way. I have learned so much more about what I want from not dating than I have from being with someone. I'm letting love come when it's ready. For now, I'm doing me." — Alyson, 17
16. "I've been single for four years now. Wow — saying it to someone else makes it sound like a really long time.It literally feels like just yesterday that we broke up."— Leeky, 22
17. "I love being single. I know I'm not ready to be in another relationship so I'm enjoying everything the single life has to offer me, and the best part of it all is that I'm learning myself and becoming a better me everyday!" — Gabrielle, 22
18. "Sometimes there are just moments you want to share with someone else, like a walk outside on a nice day or a couple hours vegetating in front of bad reality TV. And even though these are activities you can do with anyone, there's a certain feeling that comes from doing it with someone you're in love with that can't be replicated. It's probably the worst part about being single." — Micah, 18
19. "As a lesbian at a high school in a small town in Texas, I know the dating pool is going to be small. I don't regret my relationship with my ex-girlfriend, but I'm a lot happier now. I can do whatever I want. I'm the main character in my own life, and I love it. If I'm lonely, I can just have a girls' day with my mom." — Lisette, 17
20. "When my friends and family are talking about their boyfriends and I'm just sitting there without anything to say, I can feel like an outsider sometimes, because I can't relate to what they're saying." — Emily, 22
21. "Rationally, I know that my friends and family love me. But in my worst moments, when I see other people happy with their significant others, I question whether I deserve such a thing. I do deserve it, don't I? Why don't I have a boyfriend then?" — Laura, 20
22. "I've been single my entire life, basically. I'm really comfortable being alone. As a college student, I'm glad to just focus on myself right now." — Amber, 22
23. "I date here and there, but for the most part, all my free time goes toward working on personal projects, seeing friends, writing, yoga. I maybe go on one first date a month — and usually, just that, one date." — Amanda, 22
24. "I have been proudly single for 16 years now. I fill my life with friends (of both genders) and hobbies so I never really feel like I'm 'empty' or 'missing something.'" — Natalie, 16
25. "I was in a very intense high school sweetheart relationship for five years that ended a year and a half ago. How I feel about being single entirely depends on the situations I am in. Most of the time I love being single. I think it gives me the chance to make decisions that could be challenging to make if I were in a relationship. Being single also has enabled me to meet more people — sometimes when you're in a relationship you become so dependent on the other person that your outside-of-relationship social life suffers." — Alex, 22
26. "I really have started appreciating being single more now that my close friends are in long-term relationships. I've seen how commitment has changed their lifestyles. Personally, I like to have 'me time,' and it's going to take a special person to change that."— Hali, 19
27. "The best part about being single is you get to eat the last piece of pizza. Every single time." — Caroline, 22