Preparing to go home for the holidays, I catch myself thinking about having to answer the questions of many of my family members who will almost certainly ask, “So, are there any boys?” “No one you’re even slightly interested in?” “There has to be someone?”

There seems to be this stigma or pressure from our culture that you'd better at least date someone in college. I mean, you hope to get married someday, right? Now that I’m a senior and have successfully been single all throughout college (don’t get me wrong, I’ve talked to a few people here and there) this is something I have given a lot of thought to.

Sometimes people can make me feel that since I’m not dating someone in college, I’m doing it wrong. Sometimes I catch myself even getting caught up in thinking about how I’m “single AF” and wondering if I’ll ever truly find someone.

I decided to write this not because I’ve had lots of dating experience or am an expert by any means. But I’ve seen far too many of my friends be cheated on, treated poorly, and left feeling like they “wasted” part of their life dating or being so concerned with always having a member of the opposite sex in their life. Too many incredible people around me lack confidence in themselves simply because they aren’t currently dating someone. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen some incredible relationships that are extremely solid -- but those seem to be few and far between. So here are some of the reasons I believe it's 100% okay to be single in college:

1. Dating isn’t much of a thing these days

I often feel surrounded by this hook-up culture. Most people are simply looking for someone to hook up with. I’m more interested in finding the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, grow old with, and have children with. I always tell my parents that most guys aren’t looking for a girl like me right now.

2. We’re here for SO much more

College isn’t only about finding your future husband -- if it happens along the way, that’s awesome, but if it doesn’t, that’s okay, too! First and foremost, we're here to learn and focus on our future careers. We’re here to make lasting friendships with those around us first and foremost. I feel so blessed to have been able to find my future bridesmaids throughout college (as cliché as it sounds, its true). I know that many of these friendships I have made will last for the rest of my life. Our future careers and solid friendships should be our first priorities.

3. Happiness can be found other ways

I have always been of the belief that dating someone else isn’t the only way to be happy -- though I have seen so many people be very happy in dating relationships, which is great -- but that’s not the only way. It’s not necessarily healthy to rely on one person to bring us all of our happiness -- if we do that, we may never find true happiness at all. I find so much happiness within my family, faith, friendships, and in countless other ways.

4. We have plenty of time to find “the one”

Trust me -- I really want to get married someday, but I’m in no rush at all. People are getting married later in life these days anyway. At this point it’s important for me to enjoy the time I have being single and make the most of it! These college days will never be back once they're gone and I think sometimes relationships can interfere with getting the full college experience. I have seen far too many people date someone, then break up with them, and later feel like they missed out on so much!

5. College is a time of self- discovery

I know I feel like I’m still trying to figure out who I am and the kind of person that I want to be. How in the world can I focus on growing as a person if I’m focused on being good enough for and dating someone else? If you don’t know who you are, then you could end up getting lost in a relationship and defining yourself as so and so’s girlfriend -- then who are you if later on you break up?

6. Some relationships result in more hurt than happiness

I’ve seen far too many people spend time in relationships that cause them more hurt than happiness. If a relationship is causing you more hurt than happiness, you deserve more!

To those of you who are in solid relationships right now that are healthy and solid, I envy you! This reflection is not meant to be a slam to those in relationships at all, because I know some people that are in very good relationships and I look up to them. But I also look around and see lots of unhealthy relationships. This isn’t meant to be a slam on all college-age guys either, but many guys (not all) seem to still be very immature and only looking for physical relationships right now. With that being said, I see many guys around me that have a lot of potential as well, they just need to grow up a little bit (as we all do in some ways).

My goal in writing this is to remind myself and other people that not being in a relationship is OKAY! Even though sometimes I catch myself wondering “Where do the good boys go to hide away?” I have faith that someday I will find the right person for me. But in the meantime, I am perfectly okay with being single!