It's the most wonderful time of the year, which means lots of sweets, Starbucks Christmas cups, and squeezing all 40 of your relatives into one house on Christmas Day.

Don't get me wrong. I really do love this time of year, but there is one question I get asked multiple times every single holiday I spend with family:

"Why are you still single?"

I dread this question every year because I almost feel like I let my family down when I say that I'm not in a relationship. If I didn't have a filter, I would actually say, "I am choosing to be single right now, and that should be okay with everyone, because it's very okay with me."

I've had relationships and I've dated guys here and there, and still do, but so far, no one is worth taking to family Christmas. In fact, only one guy has ever been worth taking home to my parents for dinner. I don't want to bring someone around that I've only been seeing for a month or two. It would be embarrassing to have to announce to the entire family at Easter that we were no longer together.

I feel that college is the perfect time to be single and I am taking full advantage. I live in a town with nearly 30,000 people around my age. I will never have another opportunity to have as many friends as I do and I don't want to be consumed with a committed relationship and lose that.

I am okay with sleeping alone (because how am I supposed to sleep on only one side of the bed anyway?). I am okay with spending Fridays nights out with my friends instead of with one guy. And I am okay with taking the love I would be using on a significant other and putting it somewhere else, like towards my best friend, someone who is having a rough day, a dog on the street, a professor who just lost her husband, and even myself.

I am tired of hearing that being single is something to be ashamed of. I would much rather put my focus towards graduating in a year, completing 5 internships before said graduation, spending another semester on the Dean's List, making memories with my friends before leaving this college town in a year, and most importantly, molding myself into the best person I can be.

Therefore, think twice before asking your 20-something year old niece or nephew, grandchild, etc. why they aren't in a relationship. Maybe consider that it is actually their choice and they are perfectly happy. Independence is nothing to be ashamed of.