Dear single lady,

First of all, take pride in the fact that Beyoncé made a song about us. Second of all, don’t be sad that the perfect guy hasn’t come along and swept you off your feet. Don’t worry about all the questions that concern your dating life in college, especially when you go home. Don’t worry that you may end up the single dog or cat lady, mainly because animals are the best companions ever. What I am trying to say is don’t be sad that you haven’t been able to change your relationship status and live life.

We, as girls, are pressured to find a boy that will love us and take care of us. I, personally, pride myself on the fact that I am an independent single lady. I don’t want to have a boyfriend to just say I have one. I believe that you look for a significant other for a companion, not a caretaker. We grew up with the Disney Princesses that taught us we have to be saved by a man. Save yourself. We women are just as capable as men and we need to realize that. #girlpower.

There is another thing that I want to touch on. I haven’t been in a real relationship, and I am 19 years old. I have had plenty of hopefuls and the almost-relationship, but they never worked out. I think that we have to be in a relationship for the right thing. I was the girl that felt I needed someone to help me cope with myself. I had depression and I felt that if I had a significant other, it would all just disappear and I would be OK. When I put everything into my almost-relationship, I ended up getting burned more times than I would like to elaborate. You have to be in the right place to be in a relationship. You are trying to live life with another individual who is completely unique in their own way. You can’t get into a relationship expecting them to fix everything that is wrong with your life. You have to be OK with yourself first. That is one thing that I have learned since getting into the “dating” world. We can’t expect the other one to fix our problems, but to help each other find themselves.

You will find that person. You will meet the person that doesn’t want to change who you are, but to help you find yourself with their help. Relationships are learning experiences that help us realize what we really want in our life. If you don’t feel like you will ever meet the right person, like we all do sometimes, cuddle up with your furry four-legged friend and watch Netflix. If you want to casually date, do it. Break the stereotypes and don’t sit at home waiting for the guys to come to your door. Take ownership of your life. If you want to be on Tinder, own that. If you don’t and do it a different way, own that.

Just remember that being single isn’t the end of the world. Take this time to do what you want. This time is your time to be completely independent and just live life to the fullest. Don’t let the single label hold you down. Also don’t worry about all the questions family and friends may ask you about your relationship status. Just say you are fully committed to yourself at the moment.

Sincerely,

A fellow single lady