I don't know who came up with this, but somewhere down the line a "ring by spring" became a commonly told phrase to tell graduating college women.

However, I'm here to tell you that the gift of graduating from college is a degree, not a marriage proposal.

The average age of a college student when they graduate from undergrad is 22.

They are 22 years old.

At 22, your life is just beginning. At 22, you are still trying to figure out who you want to be and who you want to be with.

So, somebody please tell me why I would waste four years of the most exciting times of my life? Why would I waste a time in my life when I am free, when I have the opportunity to experience different worlds, different cultures, and different walks of life? Somebody tell me why I would spend those four years chasing after boys, searching for "the one," and pining after someone who I thought could be the love of my life?

The answer is I'm not and you shouldn't be either.

Now, by no means am I relationship shaming here. If you are in a healthy and loving relationship that is supportive and helping you grow into a better person, one that is not holding you back from life's experiences, then that's amazing and I am truly happy for you.

This article was not written for you, this article was written for someone else.

This article is for all of my single ladies out there, all of my girls who are hopeless romantics in a world that tells them that they must have a man in order to feel truly complete. This is a reminder for all of the confused girls who have had their hearts broken by boys who they thought were different. I'm writing to remind you that boys are a small part of college and of life. There is much more to college than boys who break your heart.

You will find who you're meant to be with, but that doesn't have to be today.

When you look back on your four years of college, what are you going to want to remember? Will it be all of the guys who you tried to change? Will it be all of the nights when you stayed up crying over someone who didn't deserve you anyway? Will it be all of the friendships that you lost because you were too busy chasing after boys who were in it just for the chase?

No, you're going to want to look back and remember those midnight ice cream runs, spontaneous road trips, and crazy nights spent stealing plaques from frat houses with your girlfriends. You are going to want to remember the days that turned into nights with the women who made you feel loved, who made you feel important, and who made you feel invincible. You are going to want to remember the women who know your deepest secrets and all of your flaws, but still love you for it.

These are the women who are going to be standing by your side when Mr. Right finally does decide to show himself. However, until then please don't waste away your four years trying to find him.

College is the perfect time to understand what it means to be alone. And at some point, I hope that you get to experience it because it's a good thing.

Please learn what it feels like to be alone, completely and utterly alone. Eat alone, watch a movie alone, and travel alone. Take this to time to love yourself and make yourself happy. Take this time to be selfish.

Knowing that you can be alone, totally independent, and killing this thing called life without a man is empowering. So, embrace it.

Use this time to become the best version of yourself, so that when you do find Mr. Right you will be absolutely sure of it. You will know yourself so well, from every inch of your mind down to every crevice of your soul, that you will be able to tell if this guy is truly worthy of your grace, of your beauty, and of your intelligence.

You will know that you don't have to settle. Guess what? You've made it on your own for this long and you're pretty amazing all by yourself.

Boys come in and out of our lives, but a true man will stay. I challenge you to wait for that because you deserve it. You deserve nothing but the best.

The best kind of love happens unexpectedly. It's never forced.

So, date boys. Let them break your heart, but don't ever chase them.

Don't let boys consume you. Instead, learn from them and learn from your experiences. Enjoy these four years for all of the twists and turns that they may bring. Make memories with your beautiful soulmates, your girlfriends. Make memories that they will tell on your wedding day, even if they are slightly embarrassing ones, because you'll be thankful.

You'll be thankful that you found your bridesmaids in college, even if you didn't find your groom.