How to live your best life as a single girl at uni

By Olivia Gabriel, Third Year Childhood Studies

Being single at uni is quite often overwhelming and you can feel pressured to find that special someone to spend your time with. However, it truly is a really exciting opportunity to make the most of the city you're in, especially if you've moved away from home for uni, as well as giving you quality time to spend with your friends and yourself.

For some being single at uni is a deliberate choice that they made before joining to make sure that there was nothing or no one holding them back from experiencing everything tha is on offer, whereas for others they may have become single throughout their time at uni and it can be difficult to adapt to the lifestyle change. Regardless of your situation, it is important to enjoy the time on your own that you do have, and whilst it is completely normal to want to find a new partner, being single can be just as rewarding as sharing your life with someone.

I’ve come up with six ways to make the most of your time being single at Bristol:

Try some fun and new activities with your girl friends

Not having a significant other to worry about can free up both your time and finances to spend time with your friends doing various activities. Bristol has so much on offer, and with good transport links it is hardly difficult to find a wide range of activities to do, whether you have a big or small budget. On sunny afternoons like the ones we've had recently, walks around Ashton Court are a great way to spend the day with your friends before ending up in the pub for a bottle of wine and a natter.

Enjoy meeting new people

At uni, arguably the easiest way to meet new people is on a night out. When single you have the freedom to explore relationships in any way you please. There can be pressure to hook up with people, or you can feel judged if you do but in actual fact as long as you are taking care of yourself and doing exactly what you want, a night out is a great way to enjoy yourself with friends or people you meet. Avoiding pressure and staying safe are two rules that shouldn't be forgotten when on a night out.

Join a society

Joining a society is a fab way to explore an existing interest, or even develop new ones. Being part of a group is great for increasing self-confidence and morale, and fills your week with commitments and uses up your otherwise free time. It can also offer up potential love interests, meeting people who you have things in common with is a great opportunity for future dates or at the very least a friendship.

Communicate freely

Girls really should be lifting each other up and encouraging you to be the best version of yourself, and bonding over failed dates or success stories can be a great way to figure out what you are looking for and how to make sure you are not settling. Friends are a great support system, make sure you talk to them if you feel low and console them too if they have problems. A problem shared is a problem halved, and celebrating your personal achievements with others can be really rewarding.

Take care of yourself

TLC is very important, and taking pride in your health and appearance can make you feel so much better in yourself. There is no reason to not feel like a 10/10, self-confidence is attractive and its little things that can give you a boost. Going to the gym, eating healthily and making sure that you are getting enough sleep are all essential to boosting your mood. Making self-love a group activity can make it more enjoyable, pamper nights with the girls or group gym sessions can be so much fun and you'll more inclined to do it if you’ve committed to other people.

Live your best life

Whilst it is of course possible to live your best life whilst you’re in a relationship, the level of freedom and lack of responsibility just isn't the same. Making mistakes and learning from them is all part of the experience and should be embraced rather than rejected. You only live once, and you regret the things you don’t do in life, not the things you do, so make the most of everything that is on offer and try saying yes to everything you can. It can be super exciting to live life just for yourself and it won’t last forever. Single life is the perfect time to fall in love with yourself before committing to someone else.

Featured image: Epigram / Ruby Gleeson