One of the unexpected joys of singledom is the unfettered amount of time you get to spend with your female friends.

I didn’t have many friends when I was a kid. I was fat, had a mullet and spent most of my childhood in a horrible state of anxiety.

That’s why I feel like I have this weird second chance now. Lately I have been having sleepovers at my friend’s houses where we eat pizza on the couch, hang around in our pyjamas, talk about boys (‘obsess’ might be a more accurate term) and do things like go to the movies, the beach or out to cafes.

I know this must all seem really obvious but I have never done it. I grew up out of town in the country so having people over was a logistical hassle. Then I discovered boys and spent the best part of the next 20 years pursuing them, including two long-term, live-in relationships.

Having a boyfriend changes things. You invite them to things. You go home at night. The way you relate to your single friends changes in the sense that you’re on one side of the fence and they’re on the other.

I have always loved my friends but lately I feel like we’re having a love affair. The level of intimacy changes when you share a bed and spend a whole weekend hanging out together. It’s almost like dating but without any of the messy emotional or sexual stuff. It’s almost like being in love.