Getting married while in college has been quite the experience for me. Somehow, people now have free reign on what they say about my personal relationship status. I hear from all kinds of people – peers, my optometrist – about why I shouldn’t get married or why I shouldn’t have gotten married. I see many an article concerning this topic, and putting those who choose to get married while still taking finals, down. Plot twist for y’all crapping on marriage; that list of 21 things you made that you can do instead of getting married at 21? You can still do them. But now, you have your life partner there to do them with you – or not, if they choose to sit that one out.
1. Travel.
My favorite piece of advice to hear. “But you are so young – you need to see the world before you get married!” I didn’t know that plane tickets were banned from married couples. My husband and I have road tripped to Seattle, Portland, San Diego, and have flown to NYC in our first 9 months of marriage. We are planning a trip to Thailand and Europe, next.
2. Find Your “thing.”
First of all – wtf? I think a significant other can actually help you in this endeavor. My husband loves that I’m theatrical and a writer, and sends me job opportunities constantly. He notices that I love makeup, and wants me to start a YouTube channel. He thinks I have an eye for photography, and is saving up to buy me a nice camera (he doesn’t think I know, oh well).
3. “Get a tattoo. It’s more permanent than marriage.”
Yes – I legit read that exact sentence. My marriage is just as permanent as tattoos, because I’m going to choose to stay married, just as I chose to get married.
4. Dye your hair!
My husband helped me dye my hair once. It turned out wonderfully even with his ginormous hands, and not really knowing what he was doing.
5. Adopt a pet.
We adopted a cat in our first week of marriage.
6. Make-out with two strangers in one night.
While I wouldn’t recommend doing this while you are married, marriage is a personal choice and sometimes people make mistakes. Sort of neat that you can choose between making out with two total strangers who have no idea what your kissing preference is, or your significant other who knows everything you like. I’d rather make out with my S/O than two strangers anyway.
7. Start a small business.
Wouldn’t this almost be better if you had your S/O right by your side, encouraging you through your dream? The founder of PopSugar’s husband quit his day job to help her with her not-so-small business. I’m sure she appreciates the added help.
8. Disappoint your parents.
What about getting married says you can no longer disappoint your parents? While this is a really strange argument for staying single, I wouldn’t say it’s one with much merit.
9. Eat a jar of Nutella in one sitting… or two jars, or a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, or a box of Oreos…
Definitely done one of these things multiple times after my spouse ran to the store and bought me two pints of Ben and Jerry’s, because I was feeling sad that day.
10. Hangout naked in front of a window.
I do this daily. I usually remember to close the blinds first.
11. Make strangers uncomfortable in public places.
Jokes on you! Most people hate PDA – too bad I love it!
12. Explore a new religion.
I think that similarity in religious beliefs plays an integral part in strengthening a marriage – who’s to say exploring a new religion wouldn’t be fun with your spouse, though? It’s called marrying someone with an open mind!
13. Build something with your hands.
Like what? The coffee table in my living room we bought with our Target gift card as a wedding gift?
14. Start a band.
As Lily Aldrin once said to her dear spouse, Marshall Erickson in How I Met Your Mother, “You have my full support.” If your spouse has mad guitar skills and some sweet lyrics, I would hope you’d support them in their endeavor of being a rock star!
15. Bake cookies.
I tried baking cookies from scratch for my husband once… I read the directions wrong and put in two sticks of butter. Again for added effect: two sticks of butter. He cried laughing about it, and ate my cookie crumble anyway.
16. Watch Grey’s Anatomy over and over again. And ugly cry a lot while watching it.
Done and done. We even guess their signs together. Pretty sure McDreamy is a Capricorn, and Lexi is for sure a Pisces. Fun side note – my husband has a man crush on Alex Karev, and McSteamy is his all-time favorite character.
17. Write your feelings down in a blog.
You can do this when you’re married, too, for those of you missing the theme of this piece. It’s called Tumblr and I vent on it regularly. Sometimes, my S/O even reads about it then asks if I’m okay.
18. Sign up for CrossFit.
Well, no thanks, but he has purchased Yoga workout videos for me, and we are both members of 24 Hour Fitness!
19. Accomplish a Pinterest project.
I think that’s what our wedding was, TBH.
20. Have a sleepover with your girlfriends.
A day apart can be healthy for some people. Also, I’m still obsessed with all of my friends. He takes to his X-Box and I take to my friends’ place.
21. Date around.
No, thanks. I actually did a lot of that beforehand. Some people find their person at 14, others at 45. I found mine at 20, and when you know, you know. Relationships are personal. This includes those crazy kids getting married before they are 25 years old.
I got many of my ideas off this list from this blogger, who has some very strong negative opinions about getting married young. Regardless, I am happily married, and still living an adventurous life filled with Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, and plenty of emotional support.