CALLING ALL SINGLE LADIES! It’s Valentine’s Day and it’s time to embrace your relationship status. Although we may not yet appreciate it, we are fortunate to live in a society that has pushed dating back a few years, embracing the single life. We are on a campus that is more hook-up friendly than boyfriend friendly, and I have come to realize that contrary to all of the Valentine’s Day advertisements, being single is not the worst thing.
As a disclaimer, I am not knocking anyone in a relationship right now because if you are truly happy then that really is the best thing for you!
Growing up, my mother always warned me against settling down too young, a natural lesson from a parent who married her high school sweetheart. She longed for me to get more out of my youth than she did by experiencing the world, living a boundless life, and making too many memories to remember. Not that she was opposed to me settling down of course, she just advised against it. This lesson is something that stuck with me throughout high school and even now.
There are too many perks for you not to be single! Although we may miss out on nice dates and a consistent companion, we have the opportunity to live an anxiety free life: staying out curfew-less, spending time with real friends, focusing on our desires and never sacrificing anything for anyone. There are just too many rules and worries with dating that we should not have. It’s draining enough to balance academics, sleep and a social life so adding another worry just isn’t worth it. Our youth is the only time in our lives that we can really be selfish, and letting someone take that time from you is a disservice to yourself.
Having a boyfriend may have its perks, like having a valentine for this overzealous holiday, but being single gives us the opportunity to meet more people and make amazing memories. We can date around, make decisions based on solely our best interests, avoid heartbreaks, and study abroad commitment free. Having a boyfriend naturally means that you will have drama in your life and that is something we’re lucky enough to avoid this Valentines Day. Single ladies don’t have to worry about what guys are doing or why they aren’t texting back. And oh, did I mention how much cheaper it is to be single? We, college students, are on a budget and we’d rather buy something nice for ourselves with the money that we could spend on someone else.
At this point in our lives, we’re still figuring ourselves out and we shouldn’t let anyone influence our choices or affect our decision of who we want to become. I truly believe that we have the power to change our own lives and we cannot wait idly for success. It’s essential to follow your dreams without being tied down, so go spend that time that you could be dating by chasing your own success!
Drop your phone and your worries this Valentines Day and go make plans with your friends. Make sure to make this Valentines Day memorable because we only have so many left in college. Our time left to be selfish in is quickly ticking, so embrace your single self this Valentines Day and be certain that the day focuses on what makes you happy.