Hanging out with friends at odd hours? Check. Thriving professional life? Check. Loving life without the emotional attyachaar? Check. Living your life on your own terms? Check. Irrefutable, independent, liberated, happy as ever? Double check.

Singletons regard being single synonymous with freedom rather than loneliness. It brings along with it a sense of freedom: your decisions are yours alone, you do as you please and when you please. However, every rose has its thorn. Along with free will what they receive are a whole range of strange looks, stares and glances. The moment people find out you are single, you indeed are singled out. And if you have been single long enough, you can easily translate these stares into words and simply place these individuals into the following categories:

1. The Match Makers

Jodiyan toh uppar waala banata hai. This group of individuals refuse to acknowledge it. They believe their sole purpose of existence is to 'spread the love'. Being single is associated with a craving for love and happiness. They pounce at the very opportunity to stare you in the eye and say, "tu chinta mutt kar, I will find you the person of your dreams".


2. 'Are you anti-relationships?'

The official party line for this category is 'tutte dil se nikli hui awaaz'. They conjure your dating history and strategy in the blink of an eye. Either you've had a bad experience with relationships or your better half broke your heart and you just can't get past it or better yet, you protect your fragile and vulnerable self by being 'alone'. Their weapon of choice? The sympathetic look in the eye when you are spoken to.


3. The Superheroes

These superheroes do not strut around in a unitard and fight crime. Unfortunately, they are a tad bit too common and fight trouble of no sort. These are the 'tech-savvy' kinds who sit behind a computer trying to fill the void of loneliness that singledom is. The minute the phrase 'relationship status:single' flashes across their screens, they spring to action and try to resuscitate your broken heart with a 'let's make frandship' message.


4. The Question Banks

Swaal pe swaal is the forte of this category of people. They come up with the widest range of questions imaginable on a topic as inconsequential. The spectrum ranges from prying with a simple 'why?' to psychiatric with 'how do you feel about it?' to downright degrading with 'you look decent, how come then?' While they are doing their job, all you can possibly do is gawk at them till that much awaited moment when they are done.


5. 'So...are you looking?'

Being single is considered to be a waiting period. You get off a bus to board the train. The train station being singledom. Their conviction is that no one chooses to be single. It is a fate even their worst enemies shouldn't be inflicted with. Happiness and success in life is measured by your relationship, thus making a relationship a necessity.

Contrary to popular belief, being in a relationship is not the sole purpose of your existence and it definitely is not the yardstick to define your state of mind or happiness. As clichéd as it is, love takes various forms and platonic love is not degrading. For a majority of individuals, being single is gratifying and fulfilling in itself. It's time you ignore the stares and the judgement and live your life as you deem right.

Team MSN She