The University Counseling Center hosted its latest workshop Tuesday evening, entitled "Being Single: Making it Work For You."

The workshop was part of the center's weekly Tuesdays at Seven programs, which are held at the Illini Union.

The workshop was a continuation of the Nov. 4 seminar titled "Breaking Up: It Doesn't have to Break you Down." This Tuesday's workshop focused on self-esteem issues, said Janis Lines, program coordinator for the paraprofessionals division of the Counseling Center.

"We're hoping that the same students who attended the previous workshops on breaking up also attended this one," she said.

The paraprofessionals are a group of hired undergraduate University students who go through an extensive three-semester training period and learn how to counsel their peers on topics from relationships to study habits, Lines said.

The paraprofessionals also host the Tuesdays at Seven workshops. The paraprofessionals hosting this past workshop were Kathy Hagman and Ricardo Aguinaga Jr., both seniors in LAS.

The workshop was divided into two parts, and the first part dealt with the myths of being single and the social pressures that singles have to deal with.

"Singles are constantly burdened with the question 'Why are you single?' while those in relationships never have to deal with those types of questions," Aguinaga said.

The counselors suggested that singles work on strengthening their current relationships rather than only seeking new ones. Other tips offered were to keep a journal, take time for enjoyable activities and focus on self-exploration.

There are a lot more social pressures to be in a relationship than people realize, and it comes to the point where singles think they have to be in a relationship in order to be happy, he said.

The second part of the workshop dealt with self-awareness. It focused on enhancing one's single life and dealing with both the psychological and behavioral depression that singles can feel.

The workshop concluded with giving the attendees a chance to share their own stories about being single.

"It gives them an opportunity to realize that they are not alone," Aguinaga said.