London is one of the greatest cities in the world. Fact. If you ignore the weather, extortionate prices and sometimes grimy exterior, you’ll find a city full of diversity, beautiful architecture and endless entertainment. However, if you’re single in London, all that magic could get lost in the fog of worrying about your singleness (we’ve all been there.) Well, I can’t predict your future (or I’d be a rich fortune teller with an impressive handbag collection) but I can help you out with 10 things to do if you’re single in London. Society may make it seem like singleness is akin to illness but, like most things, it’s fabulous if YOU make it fabulous. So enjoy!

1. Wine and Dine Yourself

Just the other day, a friend asked me if I ever go to the cinema alone. Some people have very strong opinions on such things, as if it should be a crime to go out alone and actually enjoy it * gasp *. However, if you want to see a film that your friends don’t or there’s a matinee on, then why not? When you think about it, you don’t really need to chat to anyone there. Same with dining alone. Going alone means you can take in more details such as the fantasy world of your movie and the flavours of your food.

Going to the cinema alone means no one asking you to explain plot lines, no one trying to mack on your snacks or trying to ‘make a move’. Eating alone means no one wondering why you can’t eat and hold a conversation at the same time. You get time to be alone with your thoughts and escape the world (hey, it’s scary out there!) Also, if you don’t enjoy hanging out with yourself, how can you expect someone else to? (Thought of the day.)

2. Attend Talks

If you’re anything like me, sometimes a late night fall down the YouTube rabbit hole will lead you to some TED talks. Who doesn’t love a good TED talk?! I recently went with some friends to a Richard Branson talk (I thought he might have the secret to being a billionaire hidden in those luscious locks) and one of the great things about London is that they have events like this all the time. With platforms like Eventbrite, Timeout and the TED Talk website, you can find talks being had on a daily basis for reasonable prices.

Being single in London means no having to wait for a date to do anything. There are talks on a range of topics, so it’s all down to what takes your fancy. Aside from learning about new things or hearing from titans of industry, you can also meet new people or discover other parts of London, which is a bonus if ever there was one.

3. Learn Something New

Ever wanted to learn a new language or skill? Well, now is the time! Thanks to London’s diversity (take that Brexit) you are in a great place to learn a new language or how to cook a new cuisine. We should never stop learning and there is no time like the present to cross off things from your bucket list. Anything from taking a creative writing class to learning how to play an instrument is up for grabs. The world is your oyster.

If you can’t afford to go to a class, then there are free options too. For languages, you can use apps like Duolingo and there is, of course, the wonderful world of YouTube where there are tutorials on just about everything. You now have full permission to get lost in the YouTube vortex. Go forth and learn!

4. Meet New People

Being single in London means no worrying about your partner if you get close to someone else. You don’t have to explain to anyone that you’re just friends, that means you are at liberty to meet as many new people as you want, in any capacity you want 😉 There is so much diversity, and who knows may be your one and only comes from abroad. To get an advice on how to build a healthy international relationship, click here.

Lucky for you, people are everywhere, but if you’re shy about introducing yourself there are apps for that like Meetup and a lot of dating apps have a friendship option, just like CLiKD! So check it out. You can also see any event you go to as a chance to make new friends with shared interests.

5. Join a club

Joining a club is another way to meet people and learn new skills. Whether you want to share a love of books or find people to convince you to work out; there is a club out there for you. It’s always nice to feel like you’re a part of something too, an added perk.

Joining a club also means that your attendance would probably be expected on a regular basis. Having a routine can help you feel grounded and we all know that being single in London can have you questioning your whole life, so this can help with that feeling 😉

6. Dogsit for a Day

If you’re anything like my friends and I, you often daydream about sacking off all this dating BS and getting a dog instead. Dogs are loyal, always happy to see you and they have to love you; you’re their food source. Dog adorableness aside, they’re pretty expensive. Like a step or two away from raising a child, but not as intense because your dog probably won’t go through an emo phase and claim you ruined their life (I hear kids do that sometimes…)

Well, if you can barely afford to take care of yourself let alone a pet, there’s always the Borrow My Doggy site. The premise is to pair up dog owners with people in their area to dogsit, aka the dream! Walking around the city with a dog is the perfect way to forget about being single in London and the autumn weather right now completes the scene.

7. Become a Museum Junkie

London is one of the best hubs for museums. Apart from the big favourites like the V&A and Tate Modern, there are many smaller ones that have a whole array of interesting exhibitions. A large amount are free (so generous of you London) and you can also get an Art Pass card, which works all over the UK to give you great discounts on exhibitions.

Aside from the Instagram factor (don’t deny that cool pictures are an incentive to do anything) creativity is the ultimate soul food. Just another way to escape the world and see something new, how can you say no to that?

8. Become an Expert in London Markets

As well as an abundance of museums, London also has a lot of great markets. Camden, Spitalfields and Borough Market to name a few. You could get lost in a different market each day in London. If you’re a foodie, then I recommend you get started on this market crawl ASAP!

Aside from food galore; you can also find clothes, jewellery, books and general knick-knacks that just seem cool but serve no real purpose. No problem with that, not everything has to have a point, sometimes it’s just fun. Anyway, going solo means no one asking how long you have stayed, you can browse/buy to your heart’s content.

9. Focus on Your Career

Being single isn’t the only time you should focus on your career, but being single in London means fewer distractions so you can. No one is saying that you should forget all about love and dedicate your life and soul to work. Not only is it unhealthy to have only one focus in life but it will probably get pretty boring, really quickly. That being said, succeeding at work and advancing in your career will never be a bad thing.

Whether you’re single or not, at the end of the day the person you should depend on most is yourself. Being able to support yourself is important. The sense that you’ve done a good job and taking pride in that is just the confidence everyone should have.

10. Travel

If there is one thing people will tell you when you’re single, it will be to travel. It is the perfect time to get your Eat, Pray, Love on! London is great but it will always be here. Trips around the world may lead you to appreciate it more, as well as learn more about yourself.

You’ll come back with new stories, new friends and a new worldview. There is nothing like travel to help you see how large the world is and how tiny we all are in comparison. It is one thing that you’ll never regret (which is why people bang on about it so much, not just in a bid for you to experience FOMO on Instagram.)

So, with this extensive list, you won’t even remember you’re single in London. You’ll be too busy having fun and meeting new peeps. If you want some new friends to join you on your single London travels, check out CLiKD, the dating app that connects you with like-minded people. If all else fails, like my friend said you can stay at home and eat yourself to death but try staying positive with us instead 😉