"Dating in 2017 is hard," said every millennial ever...

But is it though?

We're so connected through social media, our phones, skype etc. nowadays that we literally don't know how to date in person anymore. I haven't been on a real date in almost a year because 1. I've been avoiding those little flirtations that slide into my DMs so obnoxiously and 2. I simply am dating to marry... not dating just to be dating (which is what most millennials seem to be doing...??)

The other thing I've noticed is that everyone expects each other to be perfect in the relationship... which is impossible. Just because it's impossible to have a so called "perfect relationship" doesn't mean that people aren't worth trying for at all.

No, I haven't met Mr. Right. But I have met:

Mr. Player

Mr. Liar

Mr. Asshole

Mr. Douchebag

and last but not least, Mr. FWB

Throughout my time in college, that list will probably grow... so yeah, SOME nice boys have talked to me, and sure, I've had some good conversations with them over the years, but guess what?

Over time, I've noticed that girls play this game too. We are equally disrespectful of the opposite sex when it comes to dating, and that needs to change. I mean, what do we get out of a relationship like that anyway?

That's right; we get nothing.

The difference between someone that has a genuine interest in you and one who doesn't is that the interested one will not disappear and reappear whenever they want.

So don't treat someone like a backup plan.

People are NOT options or "topics of conversation" that you can ponder over for weeks on end without a healthy ultimate goal.

Treat others as a priority and, eventually, you will find someone that does that for you too. Don't make someone feel as though they're genuinely special to you and then just leave like they were nothing.

One of the cruelest things a person can do is to awaken someone's love without the intention of actually loving them.

This has happened to me a few times already at my young age, and honestly, I don't want to get attached to anyone anymore.

So, boys, I'm not playing hard to get. I AM hard to get. And you should be too.

Choose me or lose me, but I refuse to be a part of a love triangle, a FWB, a trend or whatever you want to call it. Give me something real, and I will be the best damn girlfriend you'll ever have.

Blowing out someone else's flames won't make yours shine brighter, so quit competing with everyone else and look out for yourself.

Men aren't stupid, and neither are we. You don't need a complicated set of rules to find a good person who loves you.

So here's the only rule you need: if someone truly loves you, they will do anything they can to keep you around. Anything. Don't settle for anything less than that.