As you know, OBC is a dating site that promotes, fun, casual dating, without having to promise marriage just to get a date. We think hook ups are fun, and booty calls are better, and finding someone you are sexually compatible with can be just as important a moment as finding someone you are “emotionally” compatible with.

That being said, we’re still logical human beings, and we know that there are difficulties in the dating world, especially when it comes to deciding to stay single in a world that is biased towards couples. What kind of difficulties? Well, battling loneliness, staying safe, and not falling into Sex traps, for example. So, as your educators in the single world, BCU would like to present you with a Three Step Guide to Living Single.

Battling Loneliness

This is a tough one especially for people who are used to being in a relationship. Once they decide to go the single route, they realize that there are a LOT more hours in the day when you spend some of them alone instead of with another human being attached to your hip. However, most people who decide to be single fall in love with it: they can sleep in, stay up late, pick up new hobbies, jet set with friends whenever they want, and more. However, to battle those beginning moments when you feel kinda down in the dumps, make sure to have your single friends on speed dial for lunch dates and check out your local sports and social clubs. One of the best parts of being single is the time you can dedicate to bettering yourself, and who knows, you might meet someone where you least expect it!

Staying Safe

One of the biggest things we hear in criticism of OBC is that people are “just asking to get STDs.” If anything, this is a disparaging remark about our public education system, if everyone thinks that casual sex automatically gives you diseases. It’s been said that a large percentage of porn stars have some form of HPV or herpes, but there is another aspect of porn that is overwhelming: the lack of condom use. People don’t like seeing condoms in porn so they rarely show up, but that’s not real life. It’s not about the amount of sex you have, but how smart you are when you have it. Wear a condom, dummies. Be on birth control, women. Get tested frequently, people. We’re all grown ups here (and if you’re not, close this window right now, young man!), and should be able to openly and frankly discuss sexual health with one another, and be smart enough to take care of ourselves.

Avoiding Sex Traps

What are sex traps? Well, let’s say you hook up with someone and it’s awesome. It’s fun, it’s sexy, everything goes great. But after a while you realize, eh, you’re not really into them, or they’re clingy, or they’re crazy, or they’re psycho, or once the sex is over you can’t stand them but they are in love you. It’s easy, when you’re working through point one (dealing with loneliness) to fall into hanging out with them when really you’re just doing it because you don’t want to be alone. Remember in that episode of 30 Rock when Jack keeps hooking up with Jennifer Aniston’s character even though she’s crazy and then in the end she puts him in JAIL? Yeah. That’s gonna be you. Resist the temptation to hang out with crazy. In the words of Admiral Ackbar, IT’S A TRAP. Deal with traps in the same way you do with loneliness, except perhaps with a dash of free porn.

Remember, transitioning into being single can be an awkward, uncomfortable time. But in the end, you’ll be happier, healthier, and ready to hit the single scene. Follow these tips, and get your single on!