When you turn 20 years old, you're automatically not a teenager anymore. But what does this entail? Do you get a special award for surviving your teenage years (because we definitely should)? When you enter your 20's, there is a lot of soul searching that has to be done whether you like it or not. Sometimes we find our soulmates at a young age, and sometimes we find our soul mates at an older age. But the thing about your soulmate is that you always find them at the right time.
Starting a new stage in your life can be difficult and lonely, especially when you are thrown out into the big scary world with no understanding of how anything works. This especially includes relationships. If you're like me, it seems like everyone around you is getting engaged, married or having babies all while you are stumbling around in your polka-dot Snuggie trying to find that last packet of Ramen that you know you threw somewhere in your cabinet. Life is hard, and it's especially tough when you feel left out and lonely. It's OK to be single during this time because of the things you learn about yourself on the way.
Buying things for other people is expensive. Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries; they all add up and again if you're a broke college student you start regretting that you ever bout that candy bar two months ago. Not having a significant other lets you save so money for you every once in a while that you can use for retail therapy if you're really feeling lonely.
Being single gives you time to get to know yourself. In relationships, you are a unit, an entity that does things together. You live and grow with one another, and while this is a beautiful concept, it is also important to know who you are without someone else always defining what you do and who you mingle with.
You will get so much more sleep. Let's be honest, sharing a twin bed with another person is a bit uncomfortable. Also, you don't have to deal with it if the other person snores or has an early class the next day!
You'll be able to know exactly what you want in a significant other when the time comes. Being single helps you appreciate things that you like to do and become friends with people who like those things too! Establishing independent ideas and passions are especially important not only for future relationships but for mental health in general.
So if you're a single, college student right now, it's going to be OK. It may get lonely sometimes and it's definitely hard when it seems like every one and their brother is in a fully committed relationship. But being single gives you independence that you should experience at least once in your lifetime. It's the kind of independence that frees you soul and opens your mind to all types of possibilities.
