Loneliness in the Big City: A Survival Guide for Those Who Don't Want to "Work on Their Relationships"
Let's get this out of the way: I'm not against love. Love is wonderful, butterflies in the stomach, shared breakfasts, and all that. But you know what else is wonderful? Sleeping diagonally on a king-size bed, not sharing a blanket, and not having to explain at 11 PM why I decided to watch a documentary about serial killers instead of discussing the problems of someone's second cousin in Saratov.

At some point, society decided that a single woman is some kind of defective product. "Oh, no matter, you'll find someone else," sigh sympathetically my friends, who are themselves mired in everyday life and arguing about whose turn it is to wash the dishes. And I look at them and think, "Guys, I've never lost anyone."

Tinder roulette and "princes" on scooters

My last foray into the world of dating apps reminded me of a bad quest. One guy spent forty minutes explaining how he "invests in crypto" (read: lives with his mom and waits for Bitcoin to reach a million). Another suggested "a walk in the park" at -15 degrees Celsius because "coffee is too banal" (read: it's a shame to spend 300 rubles).

After that, I realized: modern dating is the worst kind of job interview. You spend two hours on makeup and hair just to listen to someone else's biography, which you didn't really care for. And all for what? To tick the "I tried" box?

Personal boundaries or selfishness?

I'm often called selfish. And you know what? It's the best compliment. My selfishness is my armor.

I pay my own mortgage.

I decide where to go on vacation.

I choose the color of the walls in my kitchen.

When you provide for your own comfort, the bar for entry into your life is sky-high. A man should make my life better, not just be there for show. If his presence in my apartment only adds to the pile of dirty socks and reduces my free time, then why do I need this dubious upgrade?

Freedom is not the absence of love, it is the presence of choice.

Being single doesn't mean being lonely. I have friends, a job, hobbies, and damn good wine on Fridays. My happiness no longer depends on whether someone texts me "Good morning." My mornings are already good because I slept peacefully.

We're so afraid of being "an old maid with cats" that we're willing to endure discomfort just to avoid being the odd one out. But the truth is, cats are excellent listeners, and solitude is a powerful resource for self-discovery. Until you learn to enjoy yourself, no prince will save you from inner emptiness.

So, if you're alone right now, drink to that. You have the most precious thing money can buy (and which can't be regained)—your freedom and your personal space. And cacti... well, they still dry up, but they don't drive you crazy.