Society has changed significantly since the 1960s, especially when it comes to marriage. My grandparents were married at 20. My cousin today was married at 29. Today, society wants a platform: an education, a job, and a chance of independence before anything else. Once people have their platform, they are then allowed to move on to marriage. Love is not a main priority in today’s standards anymore. But, what if you are ahead of the curve?

I am a freshman in college and my boyfriend and I have been together for almost two years now. I met him when I was a junior in high school, but I already know he is the one. I feel like I fell in love with my best friend early in life. Yes, marriage is far from our radar but we have talked about the idea of marrying sometime before graduating college. It is a difficult subject for me to even admit because I feel like it is such a shamed concept to even think about at such a young age. Even for grandparents and elders who married early in life, somehow they view marrying early today wrong. But, why is this the case?

Many adults do not think young couples can handle real life situation of marriage. They throw us into college and independence all of sudden, but somehow marriage is a different story. Why cannot I handle being thrown into committing my life to someone I love?

I blame stereotypes for influencing this idea of shaming marriage at a young age. First stereotype I believe is that people assume couples do not truly think and talk about marriage. I believe many couples actually talk to each other and plan for what they are doing with their relationship better than anyone else. Unless the adult figure is apart of the relationship, then how do they have to right to say that two people are not ready for one another?

Second stereotype I believe is that people think that living together early on and being with each other early ultimately leads to financial struggles and then divorce. I have researched marrying young on “Google” and I have seen many positive responses. Look it up if you do not believe me. People from all over the world are writing and bragging about how marrying the love of their life at a young age was the best decision they have ever made. All the articles have very similar responses. One of them was negating the stereotype of financial struggles and how it just does not work at a young age. We all have to learn how to deal with money at some point, so why not help each other gain financial stability at a young age? When couples start out with nothing, they then learn to appreciate every little thing that comes their way.

The third stereotype I believe is that young people will grow apart being with each other all the time. First of all, this statement has to be false because if you do not love every time you see your significant then why are you even dating in the first place? Again “Google” has come in play again and many people admitted that having support, or your “personal cheerleader” is one of the most motivating and satisfying things in the world. Your significant other can help start your career, your education, and it will also be helpful to have once you start having children.

Lesson to all adults out there who can relate to this kind of judgement towards young couples eloping: If marriage is an important part of someone’s life and they truly feel in their heart that they have found their soulmate, do not make it part of your business to intrude or negate their love for one another. Yes, marriage is a huge step. However, so is college, starting a new job, and all the other sequence of events that supposedly come before marriage.

If you happen to be one of the rare, lucky ones who found their soulmate early in life, do not wait for the other people in society to catch up with you in order for you to marry at an acceptable age. It is your time when you feel it is best, do not let society tell you otherwise.