There's a reason Sex and the City is so popular. Women everywhere are learning to celebrate being single and to stop judging themselves on the nature of their marital status. This new trend is fairly recent, but being single has finally become a distinction to be proud of. That's not to say that women in committed relationships are missing out on this experience (we've all been single at some point), but whether you're currently part of a couple or not, being single is no longer equated with being desperate, nor do single women rush to the altar at the first prospect of a long-term relationship.

There are, of course, the classic reasons while single women should rejoice: you don't have to fight for remote control ownership, nor do you have to wash smelly socks and smellier underwear. You can control your own finances, and if you want to go on a shopping spree, you don't have to hide the receipts and the clothes in the back of the closet. You can hog the bed, and all the covers. You can drool over Hugh Jackman and Johnny Depp without worrying about making anyone jealous. And you don't have to fake an orgasm. Ever.

But there has to be more to it than that. What about the freedom of being unattached? Single women can go out with whomever they want, as often as they want, for as long as they want. And we're not even necessarily talking about men. They can hang out with their girlfriends every night 'till three in the morning without having to explain themselves when they get home.

And yes, there is the freedom to date as well, and the ability to enjoy the experience. Being careful and safe is still at the top of a single woman's list of priorities, but that doesn't mean she can't have a blast. She can have dinner with a different charming man every weekend, or (lets face it), jump into bed with him, only to dish about the experience with her girlfriends the next day.

And for those of us who are in happy committed relationships, there's always the thrill of hearing about the latest romantic mishaps from our single pals. We can always count on our single friends to brighten our days with their tales of romantic woe or incredible amorous adventures.

A single woman in today's society must possess courage: the courage to go out there, have her heart broken, then do it all over again. She has the freedom to be independent, to choose, and to experiment. And when she does find the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with, she'll have a wealth of knowledge to aid her in making that relationship last.