In the year 2017, we live in an era where hookup culture dominates the scene, traditional practices are out the window, and more millennials would rather focus on purchasing houses for their dogs, not their significant others. On the other side of the spectrum, some millennials are getting married at younger ages than the generation before us. It blows my mind that 19-year-olds are getting married, meanwhile, I can't stick to one nail polish color for a week, but I digress.

Amidst the young married couples and the millennials who are more concerned about their pets, I feel extremely out of place. Since high school, I have always had the mindset of dating to marry. Throughout the four years of high school and four years of college, I've had two serious relationships with a few short-term "love interests"—for lack of better words.

Some people say that I wasted my college years because I was in two different relationships and that I should have spent more time shopping around, but who are they to tell me that? Sure, college is generally about playing the field, but if you find someone you love, who's to stop you from dating them?

I was, and still am, happy in the relationship that I'm in and I haven't regretted it once.

The argument I use is that the whole point of dating is to find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. When it comes time to settle down and get married, you don't just pick someone and decide they're the right choice.

You need time to figure out if you can love—or deal with—this person for the rest of your life.

Despite my dating to marry, that doesn't necessarily mean that I want to get married now. I still want to live out my 20s and fill those years with adventure and a little bit of selfishness. I want to put myself and my dreams first before hunkering down and having a family, but I don't want to waste my time on someone who doesn't ultimately want what I want out of life.

So don't let anyone tell you that you're foolish if you've said "I think I want to marry so-and-so" about the people you've dated because, at that time, that is who you pictured yourself with in the long run.

Whether it didn't work out or is still in the making, go with your heart, always.