If you're single but your friends aren't, what do you tend to get up to at the weekend?

[Madblondedog]

It looks like dp and I might part ways, week day evenings I'd be ok as I have a lot going on but weekends terrify me as all my friends are coupled up?

I don't want to be alone all weekend

What do you do?

If I know I don't have anything on, I have a look and see what I fancy doing. Whether that is trying a new restaurant, going to see a film or exhibition, going to a market. I message during the week and more often than not someone wants to come, or if they are doing something they invite me along. You have to think of nice things to do. I'm lucky in that I live in London so there's never a shortage of things to do.

I meet up with a dog walking group and am about 20 years younger than them and it's FAB. Most of the time age is totally irrelevant and if it ever comes up its like I've got a group of aunties watching out for me. Don't write it off.

Go on meetup.com and find groups in your area in whatever you're interested in.
I've joined a few and they've been really good.

OK I'll have a look up meetup, thanks

If your friends are true friends, they'll have no problem having some Saturday nights out with you, or Sunday brunch/cinema/walk /whatever. Friends are supposed to support you after your breakup, that's part of their job, married or not. A few will genuinely have childcare issues though, which is fair enough.

Before I met dp I'd go shopping and do the housework. See a film myself, read, go to gym, go walking, cook for the week ahead. See what's happening around you and do things you like.

Being on your own isn't so bad really!
Freedom to watch what you want,when you want,on the TV.
Freedom to eat what you want,when you want,without having to take 'Mr.Meat and 2 veg' into account. If I want toast and Marmite for dinner,I can.
Having the whole bed to myself,and being able to lay in bed reading until 1 in the morning if I feel like it,without being moaned at about the light keeping him awake. And no snoring to keep me awake either!
Freedom to get stuck into all those little,niggling jobs that need doing without frequent interruptions to make him a drink,make lunch,come and keep him company etc.
Having said all that,I wouldn't be without him most of the time. It's just nice when he goes away for a couple of days for one of his 'friends and football' weekends.

I spend most of my weekends on my own
I love it after a week working. I potter around, read, watch TV, do crafts or decorating. I enjoy my own company.

In fact I get a bit irritated if someone suggests doing something as I look forward so much to that me time. I usually make the effort to go and do enjoy getting out, it is the thought of it that gets me.

I am something of a hermit though!

I prefer working at week ends . I am not going out person don't do crowds . So I babysit for freinds but you could always get bar work or switch your hours around . Days in week are more fun as quieter. But that that me .

Before I got married in the days when I was single, I used to love going to the cinema on my own on a Sat or Sun afternoon. I'd choose I film that I really wanted to see (none of this compromising watching action rubbish!) that had been out for a while.

It's lovely having virtually a whole cinema to yourself and the silence from the absence of piglets chomping on popcorn and slurping drinks!

If you are in London, another thing to do is go to the half price ticket booth in Leicester Square. Take a good book for the line (but it moves quickly) and then go and see a show of your choice at a bargain price.

Basically anything where another person is a potential hindrance to your choices and timing is good single activity. Art galleries and museums particularly - so you don't have to be dragged or be the dragger!

I think you need a hobby OP. When I was single (most of my twenties and early thirties) I used to ride my horse with whoever was around to ride with on Saturday morning and then pop into town and have a sandwich somewhere, maybe go to the Fitzwilliam Museum or the gym (where I became friends with someone I still e-mail 15 years on) and arrive home knackered to read a book, light the fire, have a drink with my cat .

Sunday was sort of the same without the gym. I always rode my bike (mostly alone as it was before the days of cycling being so popular/clubs everywhere) for two hours on a Sunday afternoon before arriving home knackered to read a book, light the fire, etc., etc..

Making friends/meeting people through a shared activity is often a really good way of doing it.

I rarely went out in the evening, I lived fairly rurally and have always been a bit of a homebody. My job was in London and involved lots of socialising/travelling so I was happy to have a couple of lovely nights at home.

You might find that you have more friends who can do stuff than you expected.

At the moment if you spend all weekend with your DP then of course they aren't suggesting that you do things together - they know you are already busy. And you aren't suggesting things either.

We all go out every Friday as friends as a rule, no partners allowed

OP, sorry to be blunt but what you are saying really is "how to find another partner real quick" if you break up with the present one. This is why it's an issue that the fellow dog-walkers are 20 years older (=no potential there); this is why you don't want to go to the bother of meeting a big group of new people via a new hobby/activity (it's not socialising you want); this is also why spending every Friday alone does not appeal (=no way to find another partner that way). There is nothing wrong with asking how to find a new partner (although to ask this before you've even broken up gives out waves of desperation and I do believe it's healthy to be single for a period between relationships) but "how to spend the weekend" is not what your question is about.

iona you're welcome to think that but actually, no that's not what I'm asking. I know I want a break if things do end with dp

I've just found friends very busy the last few weekends and it worried me

Have a DP now but was in this situation for a long time.

You have a dog, so that's a good start! Lots of walks and yes maybe meet ups. Even if the people are older, it can be great having older friends. I went away to dog friendly places a couple of times, just for a night or two. Scary at first but loved it.

Coupled up friends would still want to do stuff, it just meant you had to arrange stuff earlier, particularly if there were kids. Or I'd visit my family locally, or go on weekends away to friends or family who live further afield - even the ones in couples as I could get on with the partners too.

Gym, swimming, yoga. PJ days on the sofa watching whatever the hell I fancied. Reading and fannying about online.

Meetup I used a few times, more when I lived abroad but also a few times in UK, it was good, met some nice people. I took an evening class in philosophy because it was something I wanted to learn more about, that was in the week actually but it did lead to meeting friends I could make plans with at the weekend. I'd go walk round the local market or town or venture out to nearby places and have a wander.

Still do all/most of these things now because they were things I discovered I really liked and enjoyed, maybe not as often but as often as I can, because it's important to me to keep my own space and independence and because all that single time helped me learn that these were the things that make me tick so I won't give them up for someone else again.

Iona I don't think that's what the OP is saying.

If you are genuinely interested in finding company, then do pursue the dog related options. I take part in a number of dog related activities, and it's fantasticallly social, and how I have met most of my friends, the majority of whom are single. Look into dog training, or dog sports/activities. These include agility, Rally, Cani X, obedience and flyball or even going to fun shows. Friends who do agility often spend weekends away at agility camps, having a ball, camping with friends, training and drinking masses of wine in the evenings. Helping as a volunteer with an animal charity/rescue is also a fab way of making new friends and meeting people and I know several relationships that have started this way.