Single in Suburbia

Single in suburbia.

The art of being single is the suburbs is very difficult for most 20 something women. Love truly is battlefield these days with social networking the major weapon. I’d like to think life was easy for our parents in the dating world, but I certainly have not asked mine.

Myself and a few single girlfriends are always busy trying to win this war so I thought I might tell you how it really is.

As per normal we all started our wars at around 15 when you couldn't stalk your prey on line because dial up was slower than the mail and mum and dad always said you couldn't use the computer. So there you were in high school dressed in your best addidas track suit fighting the good fight.

If you were like me high school was a no dating zone, no not because I went to an all-girls school, but because I had a notorious brother, whom everyone was afraid of. That said I grew up with lots of males as friends that regularly disgusted me, and most I’m still friends with today.

The late teens also didn't bring much dating for me; however my girls were out there taking one for the team. I remember late night drives to check that he was actually “home” and many many tears when he wouldn't answer on “MSN”. We had a few dating sites back then, but didn’t really care to indulge. We were too busy working out My Space and Bebo.

Dating friends of friends seemed to be in vogue at this age, ruining friendships and causing many awkward run ins at the local woollies. One of my besties did date a good male friend of mine, on and off for years. This situation, if you've ever been put in it is hard on all involved. At the beginning of the brake up you are forced to choose a side, draw lines in the sand and be ready for battle at any stage.

There were words of hate directed at the third party involved, we never knew her and we never wanted to. We shun her on social occasions when we were all present, and just generally pretended she didn't exist for years. I should add here that none of what occurred between my friends was her fault…. But we didn't care; we battled for our friend and her broken heart.

Today we all get along, in fact we all socialize at events together, even sharing some fish and chips for dinner. Both of my friends are happily paired and equally happy for each other. I guess we can claim time has healed these wounds. I’m happy for them all, now the awkwardness has gone for us.

Once again I never indulged in the friends of friends dating; again I blame my brother for this. By our early twenty’s we had lost this fight and found ourselves happily single and ready to mingle.