First of all, you are beautiful, you are loved and you are wanted.

Don’t ever think you are not good enough just because you don’t have a guy (or for men, a girl) by your side like most of your friends do. I know, at this stage in life, it might be hard to watch your friends happily dating, or getting married, while you sit in your room watching Netflix, alone.

However, if there is anything you take from this, remember, do not let your relationship status, or other people's relationship statuses, define you. Just because no one is by your side yet, you are not any better or worse than anyone that has someone.

Here are a few pieces of advice in the meanwhile:

1. Wait.

Be patient. Don’t do anything stupid. I know it may feel like it, but not all the decent men or women in the world are taken.

I personally know one too many people who have gotten impatient and dated or even married some man or woman who was--how can I say this nicely--a dirt ball. You see some people, especially young women, get tired of waiting for “the right guy or girl” and fall for the very first person who expresses the smallest interest. It is not worth it. It is better to wait longer for a good, godly man or woman who will truly love you than to quickly fall for someone who won't. You are better than that, so wait.

2. “Ring by spring” is just a saying, not a fact.

Relax, just because your best friend found “the love of her or his life” by the end of the year doesn’t mean you have to find yours. Some relationships happen and develop quickly while others take time. Being single can mean that you are waiting for the right relationship, and aren’t going to quickly date anyone until you are certain about your decision.

3. Don’t be jealous.

You might be scrolling through your Facebook page and one by one, you’re passing by statuses of different friends announcing their relationships or engagements. Or maybe a person whom you once had an interest in has gotten into a relationship. Don’t let this bother you rather, be happy for them. Probably easier to say than do, but trust me, it will benefit you in the long run. Spending your time envying another person will simply just waste energy. Don’t get stuck thinking about your single situation instead of enjoying your current life.

4. Don’t be desperate.

Do not get aggressive in your search for a partner. This can get to the point where you give up waiting and start to seek out a particular person, to the stage where it gets a little creepy.

Here’s what I mean. I know a few people who are so desperate for a relationship, they literally begin to stalk or get really obsessed with an individual they are interested in. Some people sit on Facebook all day stalking this person’s life as if their “crush” was a celebrity. Some people start to behave like this poem my friend Michaela and I wrote:

“As I gaze through my window and out into yours…
I see you doing homework as you lay on the floor,
your eyes are so blue and you have a little smile,
I’ll just sit by my window and stare for a while”.

No! That is not cool. Just don’t do that. Don’t stalk his or her Facebook, save your favorite photos from their timeline, or crop yourself into images with them. Just don’t.

But on a more serious note, people can pick up on signs of desperation. People might begin to see you as “the girl or guy who only wishes to have a boyfriend or girlfriend,” but doesn’t want to be serious. This can drive away potential relationships.

5. What to do in the meantime.

While you are currently going through this time in life, here are some things you can do in the meantime:

If you are interested in anyone, sincerely ask yourself why. Is it just because you are tired of being single, or is it because you honestly see this person as a true partner, and potential spouse?

Start to prepare yourself, and see what God might want you to change in your life before someone enters it.

Take your current opportunity to sit back and enjoy being single. Once you enter a relationship, you might never be single again.

Take this time to help other friends who may be suffering from low self-esteem due to their single situation.

Lastly, take this time to know what you are looking for in another person.

All in all, this is a very special time in your life. You can do all of these while you wait, and enjoy the time you have by yourself. It might be tough right now, but hang in there. You are going to be alright. Remember, you are beautiful, you are loved, you are wanted.