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The Reality Of Being Single In London

25/06/2018#relatable girl talk, Lifestyle, sex & love

This post could easily have been titled: “and here’s another reason why Sex and the City gave me unrealistic expectations of what my glamorous city life would be like” because seriously: when I first got hooked on that series at the age of 15 and imagined my twenties would be spent in NYC, wearing designer shoes, going to cool bars and flirting with gorgeous men, then writing about it for a column, well, things are a little bit different to what I expected. So here I am, living in London (a downgrade from my NYC dreams, but one I’ll happily take) sometimes wearing designer shoes (my 3 fave pairs on repeat so often that the soles are about to come off) where I *sometimes* go to cool bars, and I sometimes write about men on the internet (rather than a column) – or better, I tweet about it and it goes viral and it makes the Daily Mail online. I guess you have to make compromises.

But in all seriousness, when I moved to this city to study an MA in Fashion Journalism, fresh out of university and semi-scorned from a breakup, I had this vision of me dating these rich af city banker or lawyer types in glamorous sushi restaurants and bars with serious skyline views. I thought that I’d catch eyes with 10/10s on the tube and they’d stop me to ask for my phone number. I imagined that men would come up to me in a bar and ask to buy me a drink whilst we talk with a connection that burns more than taking a pee with a UTI. And absolutely everyone would be single, confident, and loving it.

well…

HA HA HA HA HA.

I was wrong.

This month marks my fifth year in London and I can tell you the reality of being single all too easily.

I’ve dated zero bankers – and only one “lawyer” (my ex, who did “law stuff” but he wasn’t a city lawyer so he kind of counts but not really). The only sushi restaurant a guy took me to was an all you can eat buffet for £15pp – which I’d have admired him greatly for, if I didn’t get the worst diarrhoea ever afterwards. I still catch eyes with 10/10s all of the time – but instead of anyone making a move, you just stand there and eye-fuck each other awkwardly until one of you dies. Oops, I mean… has to change at Bank and get on the Central Line. THEN YOU NEVER MEET AGAIN. In fact, the only guys who ask for my number are pick-up artists preying on solo women all along the stretch of Oxford Street. The last man that tried to chirpse me in a bar, turns out was trying to chirpse me into coming to his free music festival for his local Church as a part of community service. He’d been in prison for GBH. And absolutely man that I’ve developed a crush on in the past 6 months has turned out to have a girlfriend – and this isn’t because I like the unavailable types, oh no, it’s because look around you at the weekend and it’s date night 24/7. The gym at 8am Saturday morning? Date night. Brunch at 12? Date night. Chilling in the park? Date night. Strip club at 10? Date night.

It is clear I’ve watched way too many rom coms, and I fear that Miley Cyrus may have been right when she said that rom coms are to women what porn is to men: a completely deluded fantasy that bares no resemblance to the real thing. *deletes Netflix account immediately*

Truth be told, my first few months living here were relatively dry until I discovered the wonders of Tinder. Scrap the lame, desperate reputation that usual online-daters had, Tinder was for the new-gen of people who wanted to explore the city and get to know someone and hookup/ get a relationship/ get laid. And in its glory days it was GREAT. I was new to the city and didn’t know many people, and even if you do have a solid group of friends, organising to go and hang out several times a week can be pricy and difficult to schedule in – so dating gives the opportunity to explore it with someone new. What’s not to love?

Well, apart from dick pics, snapchat requests rather than phone number requests, and guys asking outright if I’m into anal bc they’re not interested if the answer is no, there wasn’t much not to love about Tinder. But those days are over. There may have been newer apps – Happn, Bumble, and Hinge to name a couple – but there’s something about dating apps that just fail to hit the mark these days. It’s a whole different post on its own right, but to summarise, there is literally zero connection with someone you swipe for. Everyone is way more disposable, the next best thing is just a couple of right swipes away, and people turn into commodities to be sold and marketed to via means of funny bio-lines and a well-curated selection of photos to best show off whatever you want them to believe about you. Plus, you don’t even know what that person is really like until you meet them IRL. Sure, Samuel may say he’s a 6ft 3 Irish bae with dark hair and blue eyes (my type on paper – if you’re reading) but then when you meet him in the flesh, something just might be off. A lot comes down to mannerisms. Or a sense of humour that fails to translate outside of whatsapp. And then you’re stuck spending an evening with someone when all you can think is ffs I can’t believe I wasted 10 minutes of my time this afternoon bleaching my upper lip hair for this.

That brings me nicely to meeting real life men in actual real life rather via your smartphone when you’re sitting on the toilet. It’s so beneficial.  You know instantly if you’re vibing off their aura (sorry, that’s a very Eyal from Love Island statement to make but it’s true) so there is no wasted time or disappointment. My problem is … HOW DO YOU MEET PEOPLE ?! My friends are all in long term relationships and I think only one of them met on a dating app. The rest met at university, or through friends. I’m asked“can’t you meet someone at work?” and I’m there like “erm, well there may be potential with this little guy called Elvis Prickly but he might be a little sharp for me…” 

I work from home. Alone. Elvis Prickly is my cactus. Would not recommend.

But outside the realms of work, or perhaps the gym, areas where twenty-and-thirty-somethings congregate feel more like a school disco in year 6 when the boys would sit in the corner with a bit of play-fighting maybe, whilst the girls dance along to Britney. LITERALLY NOTHING HAS CHANGED! I do think people used to be more upfront about meeting people and just come over and start talking. But I think technology, smartphones, social media and dating apps have had a knock-on effect in real life as we’re all to damn scared to go up and have a chat to a hottie at the bar. Instead, we go for a pee and frantically scroll on Happn to see if we’ve “crossed paths” with them, or worse, check the location tag on Instagram to see if they’ve uploaded a story from the venue so you can find them on Instagram (lol omg no of course I haven’t done this before….) I guess it’s easier to deal with rejection when you’re home alone in your cat onesie than in a bar full of boozed Londoners. Back to swiping on the toilet for me…

But I won’t let the fear of rejection stop me from reaching out in other ways. Sliding into guy’s DM’s after I’ve had a few drinks has become the new equivalent of drunk texting. Ballsy, and EASY. Want that fit guy to know you exist? That’s cool, just reply to his Instagram story. Slide. Right. On. In. Honey.

I can’t guarantee a success rate for this. I’m yet to see any results to compile…

So, where does this leave me? It leaves me constantly adding more to my takeaway order to make sure I meet the £10 minimum spend to qualify for delivery because a meal for one usually doesn’t hit that amount. It leaves me receiving a stream of adorably well-meant, but totally off the mark dm’s to my single-gal memes saying “omg don’t worry you’ll find him some day!!!” – thank you, Susan, I know this, and I am not worried. But I have to clarify, so that you don’t leave thinking I’m desperate, that I don’t think I’m looking for love. Not right now, anyway. I don’t want to settle until I’m in my 30s. You know I said I get irrationally upset that I’ll never get to eat at every cool restaurant I see when walking around London? I kind of feel that way about men sometimes when I imagine being in a super long-term relationship right now for the rest of my life. If something comes along and changes how I feel then great – you never know what’s around the corner. But I’m cool with not looking for serious things. There’s a misconception that if “you’re looking” or dating, that it means you’re looking for love. Especially in women. It’s like why go looking for Mr. Right when the truth is you’d happily settle for Mr. Right Now?

I’ll get real with what I want – or not even want, but what would be nice because sometimes I get bored: attention from a hot guy who makes me laugh and wants to go explore London a little more. And someone who can top my Deliveroo order up to £10 so I’m no longer paying the single-person surcharge on deliveries under a tenner. Until then? I guess I’ll just keep staring like a creep at men on the tube, strategically liking Instagram pics until they notice me, or sliding into their DM’s after one too many espresso martinis.

 

xoxo

 

Outfit: Cardigan by Verge Girl, dress by Topshop – both a bit old now – and Bag from a Bali market stall.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Fran

    25/06/2018 at 4:59 pm

    I love you and your honesty! I was laughing throughout reading all of this because I can RELATE!

    Fran | http://www.franciscarockey.co.uk

    Reply
  2. Claudia restrepo

    25/06/2018 at 5:41 pm

    Omg! My constant struggle and I’m not even in London… I’m from Colombia and I think this sh** is worldwide 🤣 keep strong 💪🏻 xoxo

    Reply
  3. Tosh Bene

    25/06/2018 at 5:49 pm

    Totally can relate to this and I think it’s safe to say that a lot of people these days, guys and girls can too. Thanks for being so honest with this post. I really enjoyed reading it! =) xo

    Reply
  4. Irene Esperante Guimaré

    25/06/2018 at 5:50 pm

    Loved this post soooo freakin’ much!

    Reply
  5. Kate

    25/06/2018 at 6:57 pm

    so good 🙂 xxx

    Reply
  6. Anna

    25/06/2018 at 9:21 pm

    Omg I love you hahahahahah this is legit me and my friends

    Reply
  7. Carolina Coco

    25/06/2018 at 10:53 pm

    Focus on what you want and what you are, the rest doesn’t matter… because love will come when you least expect it.

    Reply
  8. Elizabeth

    26/06/2018 at 12:48 am

    Girl! Are you really bleaching your upper lip? Veet make a great facial hair trimmer for ladies. Trust me!

    And from a former single girl in the city… if you make a picture in your head – lawyer, banker, 6.3 Irish Adonis… it only makes it harder to recognise your perfect guy who will never match the picture in your head.

    XX

    Reply
  9. Nat

    26/06/2018 at 4:21 am

    I love your honesty! As a girl who lives in a big city, this piece is all too relatable.

    x Nat
    http://thewednesdayissue.com/

    Reply
  10. Lily

    26/06/2018 at 8:18 am

    This was such a fun read! I’m in uni and want to move from the suburbs to Central London so this was a fun reality check! Love xxx

    Reply
  11. Jules

    26/06/2018 at 11:16 am

    Girl let me tell you it’s the exact same in NYC so you’re missing nothing lol. If anything guys over here like to be in open relationships and will think it’s okay because they told you about it. Hahahaha.

    Back to eye fucking on the subway and swiping right for me also ❤

    Reply
  12. Julia

    26/06/2018 at 12:38 pm

    I’m not in London but I’m single and YES to this post x 10000. It was spot on, completely witty and utterly charming and fun to read.

    Julia // The Sunday Mode

    Reply
  13. Danielle Alexa

    26/06/2018 at 7:38 pm

    In my mind, I imagined it been exactly like Sex and the City, we can dream!

    Danielle xx
    https://www.fashionbeautyblog.co.uk/

    Reply
  14. Ana

    26/06/2018 at 9:24 pm

    Literally, everything you mentioned here is so true – can totally relate to this 🤷🏼‍♀️

    Reply
  15. Niki

    26/06/2018 at 10:09 pm

    This sounds so like me.. there should be an app for single girls to meet up and get to know each other in order to have cool places to go together! All my mates are in serious relationships too! 😂

    Reply
  16. Danielle

    27/06/2018 at 12:34 pm

    This is such a fabulous and witty post that relates far too much to my current experience of being single!! xx

    Reply
  17. Summer Read

    27/06/2018 at 9:15 pm

    Loved reading this! I lived in London for a year and didn’t meet anyone outside of work, and making new friends and meeting new people in your twenties is so much harder than I thought! x

    Summer, http://www.thetwinswardrobe.com

    Reply
  18. Cat

    20/07/2018 at 8:17 am

    Oh my goodness, I’ve never related to a blog post more in my life ahaha. I’ve recently moved to London from Scotland for work and DEFO had the Sex in the City fantasy 😂 devastated to find out it is a fantasy 😂 also the 10/10 on the tube thing? Me. Every single day. Complete with the change at bank 😂

    http://www.thiscatspyjamas.co.uk

    Reply
  19. Philly

    24/07/2018 at 1:06 pm

    This is amazing, preach sister! Everyone of my friends is either in a long term relationship, engaged or dating like 10 guys while I can hardly get a match on bumble, let alone make it to the part where you go on a date. I am about to turn 26 which I know is not old but because of the pressures of being in London and the people who surround me, I am starting to feel like I will die alone. I think I might just give up. This article was so relatable, thank god there are people like you who just cut the crap and are honest.

    Love your work!

    Philly

    Reply
  20. Broceliande

    03/11/2018 at 11:26 pm

    Same situation here in Paris. Too bad.

    Reply

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