Emma Watson Says She Prefers to Be Called ‘Self-Partnered’ Rather Than ‘Single’

Emma Watson is single and loving it. In fact, she’s even come up with a unique new label for her current relationship status : self-partnered.

In an interview with British Vogue for the magazine’s December cover story, Watson explained that while it took her a while to get there, she’s now a firm believer in feeling good about being solo. “I never believed the whole ‘I’m happy single’ spiel,” she said. “I was like, ‘This is totally spiel.’ It took me a long time, but I’m very happy [being single]. I call it being self-partnered.”

The Little Women star also spoke about the emotional turmoil she experienced that led her to the discovery that, for now, she’s happy being single. She said that a lot of it had to do with the anxiety she felt about her forthcoming 30th birthday and the societal expectations that go along with that age.

“I was like, ‘Why does everyone make such a big fuss about turning 30? This is not a big deal…'” she said. “Cut to 29, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I feel so stressed and anxious.’ And I realise it’s because there is suddenly this bloody influx of subliminal messaging around. If you have not built a home, if you do not have a husband, if you do not have a baby, and you are turning 30, and you’re not in some incredibly secure, stable place in your career, or you’re still figuring things out…There’s just this incredible amount of anxiety.”

Whether or not she stays single, Emma Watson clearly has the right idea about living life at your own pace.