This week, Reddit user u/Morticiar posed the question, "Married people of Reddit, what do you miss about being single?"
And there were so many interesting responses! Here are some of the top-voted answers:
1. "Quiet. Except for TV, music, or video games, it was so quiet in my house. Now, with a wife and three little girls, it’s a mad house. Sometimes when it’s just me and the dog, I look over and apologize to him."
2. "Things being where I left them."
"Or the opposite. I'm used to putting things back where they belong. My significant other is used to dropping things wherever. Like leaving scissors on top of the drawer they belong in. Why??"
3. "Not being beaten in my sleep by my wife. I BOUGHT A KING-SIZE BED SO YOU COULD FIGHT YOUR DREAM NINJAS ON YOUR SIDE OF THE BED! STAY AWAY FROM ME! PLEASE!"
"It's the snoring that keeps me awake or wakes me up."
"Sleeping in the middle of the bed like a starfish. Also, eating in bed and having five pillows to myself."
4. "Money. My money was my money to do whatever I wanted with."
5. "Taking off and doing whatever the fuck I want."
"This right here. I miss just doing whatever. Wanna drive to Vegas starting at 2 a.m. on Friday? Biiiig difference if you're married."
6. "Not having to justify myself to another adult if I'm getting takeout two days in a row."
7. "The excitement of first dating someone you like."
"I vividly remember the last time I got butterflies before I kissed someone for the first time. There is definitely something about the excitement of meeting someone, the anticipation when you actually schedule time to spend together, and then the moments before the first deep dive into something physical."
"Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big sap, so it’s HER I’d want to experience it with again. But yeah, it would be so good to relive those feelings again."
8. "Being alone and not feeling guilty about it."
"I have a wife and daughter, so when I do get a chance to be alone for a couple of hours, it's amazing as hell, but I feel bad that I want to be alone. I love them both to death and would do anything for them, but man, I miss my alone time."
9. "Cleaning the way I want. I have a thing about liking to clean when no one else is around, just because how I do it takes time and has a weird system to it."
"I haaaate being observed while I clean. I don’t want to hear that I missed a spot, I don’t want to hear their method of cleaning, I don’t want to hear anything. I want to put in earphones and enjoy my cleaning."
10. "Friends. Don't get me wrong — my wife has done nothing to isolate me. But when you marry your soulmate, it's easy to think that's all you'll ever need. Add a long-hours job to the mix, and before you know it, she's the only person you interact with away from your desk."
"Then kids come along, and you'd sacrifice anything for your family, especially free time. But the kids grow up, and your wife craves time away from you and the kids. Then one day you realize you're alone."
11. "Not having to consider anyone else when making a decision."
"Someone once said, 'Being married is just asking another person what they want to eat for dinner until one of you dies.'"
12. "Traveling alone. I mean, I could travel alone if I really wanted, but it would feel kinda mean to be like, 'Hey, I'm gonna plan a really big, cool trip, and you're not invited!'"
13. "I could go without all the rank-ass farts."
"My husband’s farts sound like there's a man playing the trombone trapped inside of him. I hate them. They’re so fucking loud. But at least they don’t really smell, so I guess I have to count my blessings."
14. "Controlling the remote at all times. Watching ANYTHING without constant streaming commentary."
15. And finally, "Not having to share my leftovers. When I was single, I could treat myself to Chinese food and the leftovers were mine. Now I have to be considerate and share. It's terrible."
Do you miss anything about being single? LMK in the comments below!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.