The way my friends are coupling up these days, I often joke that I'm the third, fifth, and occasionally seventh wheel. Every one of my best friends is in a serious relationship now, which is an experience I'm finding isn't all that uncommon, especially when you're in your twenties. If you're not the friend already in a relationship, you're the friend watching all the relationships bloom around you from the outside looking in. Although that may be an upsetting thought for some people, I have found that in my case, my friends finding significant others has only made my life better.
I think the major determining factor is that my friends are all in very healthy relationships with awesome people, and they never make me feel like the odd one out. And although it's always a little difficult to adjust when a good friend goes from singular to a semi-permanent plural (i.e, they very rarely go anywhere without their significant other in tow), I've found that even in circumstances where I didn't previously know the person they're dating all that well, I end up having a great time with them as a unit. There are so many things to love about our coupled friends:
They're always entertaining
My favorite this is when a couple gets so used to each other that they don't mind ribbing or mildly embarrassing each other in public. And the best part: Now that you know them both, you can help!
They're excellent role models
At some point in the future, I'm going to date again, and when I do, I'll already have a clear idea of how a healthy relationship dynamic should look and feel from watching my successfully long-term dating friends. It's a reminder of how things can and should function in a relationship that isn't only healthy unto itself, but is healthy in how it engages with other parts of both people's lives.
Their shindigs are the absolute bomb
As a single lady, I've sure thrown some great parties (OK, tea parties, whatever, move along), but do you ever notice how the parties thrown by couples are way more lively and fun? It's partially because they combine their two friend groups, but I'm also going to cite the fact that they have more resources for food and booze. If they share an apartment then you already know that going to probably it's nicer than yours since the two-incomes-while-sharing-one-bedroom thing gives them the financial wiggle room to buy a super sweet pad.
You meet a ton of awesome people you wouldn't have otherwise
A lot of the time your friends' significant others aren't from a friend group that you know. They might not even be from the same age bracket. Regardless of where the difference come from, your friends adding a new person to their life can often mean adding a lot of new people to all of your lives. When you're hanging out with them, you tend to meet more people and get a diverse range of perspectives that you wouldn't have met if it was just you and your friend chilling.
They're always very reassuring
In your few moments of weakness (read: wine) when you end up bemoaning that you might actually be single forever, you wouldn't think you would find comfort in a pep talk from your already happily-coupled friends, but somehow they always manage to hit the nail on the head and soothe your insecurities. They know from experience just how unexpected or weird love can be.
You get to secretly (or not-so-secretly) plan their wedding
This happens regardless of whether or not they are actually planning to get married. I feel like planning other people's weddings seems a hell of a lot less stressful than thinking about your own. Also, you feel slightly more justified about trying all six flavors at the local cupcake shop because someday one of your friends might need your insider knowledge and you'll be damned if you aren't going to be there for them in their moment of "need".
You 'ship it
You know when a couple that you love on a television show gets together and you feel this inexplicably weird satisfaction that they're happy, even though they aren't real? Well, this kind of 'shipping is way more explosive because it's your actual friend, as opposed to a fictional character. Seeing them happy makes you all kinds of fangirly tickled.
They give you hope
Your good friends are the people who know you better than anyone. You've shared secrets, dragged each other out of miserable holes, and grown into who you are today because of them. So as much as you love being single, it's still nice that seeing your friends have lasting, loving relationships makes you all the more confident that when the time comes, you will find one too.
Images: CBS; Giphy (8)
