We’ve all been the lone single person in a group at least once. And while some can feel totally fine about it, for others it can really suck.

Below are some tips and tricks to navigating single life around your coupled up friends.

Emrace The Third Wheel

Lets say your best friend invites you out to some social event with them and their partner. How do you manage being the third wheel?

The best course of action is to embrace it. But if the thought makes you really uncomfortable, there’s things you can do to salvage the situation.

You could invite some other friends to come out with you and make it a fun group outing. Or politely let your friend know that you wouldn’t want to intrude on their night. We’re sure they’d understand and it’ll set some boundaries for next time.

Change The Subject

Most of the time when your friends are very happy in their relationship – or not happy even – it is all they can talk about. The conversation always shifts to being about their partner.

Which is fine! Of course they want to gush when they’re in love. But if it bothers you, you can always turn the subject around in a subtle way. Bring up that annoying/hot uni professor or how horribly you’re failing at a unit.

This way, you’re letting them know you’re happy to discuss their relationship but you’d really like to have a good time and hear about them, not their partner.

Navigating The ‘Oh You Aren’t Seeing Anyone’ Questions At Uni

Having prepped answers for this one is the best. Say you’re focusing on your studies or deflect by discussing a crush or that hot guy in your philosophy lecture.

Or, you know, say that it’s none of their business and you’re totally happy on your own. Why do we place so much importance on being in a relationship anyway? Don’t give in to that noise. Being single is just as awesome.

Take Yourself On Dates

Why not take yourself on date nights and use it as an excuse to spoil yourself? If being around couples a lot bums you out, remind yourself of the freedom you have as a single person. Cocktail for one, thanks!

Try To Find Common Ground With Your Friends’ Significant Other 

If most of your friends are coupled up, you’ll likely end up hanging with their boyfriends or girlfriends. So welcome it!

You might know nothing about their partner, or have literally zero in common but it’ll make your life so much easier to try and find some common ground. Maybe you study the same degree? Maybe you both like The Walking Dead? Even the smallest thing to bond over will make hanging out with them easier and help you feel less excluded.

Date On Campus

But lets say you do kinda hate being single during uni, what do you do?

Join Tinder and scroll through it in your lecture, invite your attractive class partner out to the club with your friends on the weekend, or hook up with someone new at the next uni event.

University gives us the opportunity to meet many new people that are usually aligned with our interests in careers and study. When you’re single, you can use this to your own advantage. Have fun with it.

Rain Tiligadis is a journalism student at Deakin University. She resides in Melbourne, can debate politics for hours, and has a small Starbucks obsession.

(Lead image: Bridget Jones/Universal Pictures)