JANA HOCKING: The little-known fact about female psychology that explains the ‘mating crisis’ – and it’s why everyone is single now

Fact: Last year I stayed single for the most part. Give or take a few situationships and a sassy one-night stand. And so did most of my friends.

And as I scratch my head and think about which of the at least twenty beautiful single women in my social circle has become a couple, there are only two female friends I know who have had the “let’s make it official” conversation with the man of the moment in their lives.

The rest of us were left “on the shelf,” as my horribly old-fashioned great-uncle likes to call it (but, I might add, like on the shelf). Could I, and my fellow women, have lived with a guy if we wanted to? Certainly. But have we done that? No.

The guys who applied for the job were fine, sweet and perfectly capable. But have we aligned ourselves in a way that would improve our lives? Not really.

You see, last year you couldn’t escape one simple fact: women were in a “mating crisis.” That’s what the experts kept calling it in the viral clips that flooded our social media feeds. Yes, the world was suddenly single (and looking mighty fine, I might add).

The experts hammered home one simple truth: As women rise through the ranks in education and careers, they naturally look for partners who will do just as well – or better.

But here’s the catch: that shrinks the dating pool A LOT. Especially since more and more women are going to college, while fewer men are doing the same (don’t bite my head off, guys, these are just simple facts).

This means there are a lot of brilliant, independent women flying solo. Not because they can’t find a date, but because finding someone who ticks all the boxes (and isn’t intimidated by their success) is like looking for a Chanel bag at a garage sale. Of course it can happen, but don’t hold your breath. And honestly, can you blame them? Standards are the new sexy.

Think about it: how many couples do you know who called it quits last year? And most of those splits were initiated by women. It felt like everyone was breaking up.

Single women didn’t just embrace their independence last year, they owned it. And the numbers support that.

First, let’s talk about the living situation. The number of single-person households in the US has skyrocketed – more than fivefold since the 1960s, to a whopping 37.8 million by 2022. That’s a lot of women living their best solo lives, free to leave their bra on the floor and their wine glasses unwashed (no judgment from me).

And single women don’t just rent, they also buy. They own 58 percent of the nearly 35.2 million homes owned by unmarried Americans. Yes, ladies sign mortgage papers there while their exes still share the rent of filthy apartments with their fellow students. Economic independence? Checkmate.

Meanwhile, in Britain, women are crushing the career game. In the 1970s, only 52 percent of women were in the labor market. Today that number stands at 72 percent. With the salaries rolling in, it’s no wonder women are ditching the myth of “happily ever after” for a happily independent reality.

And the piece de resistance? Women are now better educated than ever before. In the US, more women than men earn college degrees, giving them the upper hand in everything from paychecks to power plays. Who needs a knight in shining armor when you have a master’s degree and a killer 401(k)?

And let’s not forget that people are waiting longer to tie the knot – if they tie it at all. The average age for first marriages is now 30.1 years for men and 28.2 years for women. We no longer rush to say yes just because society tells us to. No, we’re busy living life on our own terms.

Jana Hocking explores the ‘mating crisis’ – and why she embraces the freedom, fun and flirtations that come with it

One man’s ‘mating crisis’ is another woman’s fist pump for freedom. Huzzah!

Remember when, as a single person over a certain age, you became the social equivalent of unclaimed luggage at the airport – ignored, pitied, judged? I mean, they turned it into a whole Bridget Jones franchise. Oh, how times have changed!

In the past year the story has turned around. Single women are no longer the leftovers of society, they are its secret sauce. How do I know? I am a living, breathing, perfectly functioning example of this new plot twist.

Just two months ago I boarded a plane to New York City. Why? No major reason. There were just some fun things happening there that I wanted to go to. So as a single career woman with some money in the bank, I had the freedom to do that. Guess who tried to stop me? Nobody.

There were no children to go to school or football practices. No man whined about me leaving him stranded. No, I was free to do what (and who) I really liked. And dear reader, I did that.

I went out with my group of four girls and two gays to many a raucous party. I had a brutal affair with my own Mr Big – a charming and wildly successful New Yorker with salt and pepper hair, who made me feel like a goddess. Then I hopped back on a plane to Sydney and felt reinvigorated. It really gave me a boost.

How did I ring in the new year? At North Bondi Fish with my girlfriends for a long, boozy lunch, before hopping on a boat to watch the fireworks rain down over the Sydney Harbor Bridge, champagne in hand as we cheered the night away. It was delicious!

The next day? No hangover-induced chaos trying to entertain kids or a spouse. I got up, threw myself in the ocean for a quick swim, ordered Uber Eats and spent the day binge-watching Real Housewives before heading out with friends for a cheeky ‘hair of the dog’. Okay, okay, and a cheeky “you awake?” text to a former flame to quell the hangover horn.

Do you know what this ‘mating crisis’ has really brought to the single women of the world? Freedom, funds and affairs – and in any case I am very much in favor of it.

And you, dear reader? What has single life given you that you wouldn’t trade for the world? Tell me your stories: jana.hocking@mailonline.com