As 2016 comes to a close, I've spent a great deal of time reflecting on the past year. While I spent majority of the year working towards my goals, I also spent time getting to know myself. And this is what I've learned:

We miss out on life by choosing to be committed to the wrong person. As I'm engulfed in a sea of college students every day, I see a need to fast track relationships simply because we are enamored by the idea of becoming "somebody's" before we have the chance to be somebodies. As if being with another person is going to justify our value and significance.

You are so much more than that.

A love that is bred from convenience and a love that grew from the urge to sleep beside someone is not the kind of love that will inspire you when your world feels as though it's falling apart. It is a love that will leave you feeling helpless in times of desperation. Somewhere between ignorance and denial, you know that the only void being filled is the left side of the bed.

Strive to find foundational love. The kind of love that wakes you up in the middle of the night wanting to be a better person. And if you are afraid to be alone, that is exactly why you need to be.

Learn to love yourself and learn to be okay with silence. Take yourself on walks, to dinner, and delve into a life dedicated to you. Along the way, you will curate your values, opinions, likes and dislikes. So when the right person does come around you will be sure because you'll have a healthy relationship with yourself. And when you do, savor every minute of it. If you've already found it- I hope you cherish and work on it.

Wait for the person that complements you and challenges you. Because if you are stuck in a relationship that is safe, you may miss out on someone who will love every ounce of who you are.

Even worse, you may never find out who you really are.