I've been single my whole life. There, I got what some people would say is the "hard part" out of the way. I'm single; always have been, probably still will be for a while. It's not the end of the world. To some, that's super off-putting. I knew some people in high school that couldn't imagine being single. It was almost like it was a part of their identity; like they would be invisible without it. I, for one, have always been a strong believer in loving who you are, whether you are with someone or not. Of course, that's not to say I wouldn't like to have a boyfriend at some point, but it's never really been a priority for me for a few reasons.

Firstly, time. I consider myself a somewhat busy person, especially during the school year. As an undergraduate working on her Bachelor's degree and possible Master's in the future, you can imagine school is very important to me. Anyone who's every asked me why I don't have a boyfriend get's the same answer: I don't have time. And honestly, I'd rather have time later. I average between 15-18 credits hours per semester and have an on-campus job on top of that, not to mention all the homework and exams. Academics are so important to me. They are part of who I am and strongly impact who I will become. Trying to maintain a relationship while under academic pressure like that isn't really something I want to do. I'm in no rush whatsoever. Trust me, waiting until my academic career is fulfilled and I'm on stable ground is worth the wait.

I can better focus on my passions when single as well. I'm a very creative person. I not only love to write, which takes up a lot of my spare time, but I also love to design clothing and sew. Both of these passions take up a lot of my free time, and honestly, I'd prefer it to stay that way for the time being. I'm at the point of my life where I'm still trying to find out who I am. I want to broaden my horizons, work on those new projects I've been eagerly thinking about, write more, etc. I guess focusing on a relationship with someone else is off-putting to that idea for me? I guess what I'm trying to say is I want to experience the world for myself before I experience it with someone else. The independence of being single is welcomed to an introvert like me.

Of course, everyone is different and I respect that. I'm very happy for all of my friends and family who are in amazing, loving relationships. I'm personally just not there yet. So, for anyone who asks, yes, I'm still single. Let me take my time and enjoy it. I'll look for someone when I'm good and ready.