You’re not alone, even though some days it feels like it, when you’re having a perfectly fine day and the feeling slowly begins to creep in. You see hands tangle together, fingers wound tight, and the sigh that escapes from you is heavy. You watch in longing, and wonder silently when it will be your turn. Wonder when your hand will graze another, when your smile will force another to break out. It never happened in high school, so you held out hope for college, yet you find yourself still alone. You question everything: your hair, your clothes, your personality, whether you put yourself out there enough. And you waste time wondering what would have happened if you had smiled, or actually mustered up the courage to say hello.

You’re the one still waiting. You’re not alone. There’s someone waiting for you. And right now you may not know who they are, how their hair feels when your run your fingers through it, what makes them tick, how to make them smile. But one day you will, so in the meantime, here are a few things to keep in mind while you hold out hope.

1. You’re worth the wait.

You’ve probably heard it a zillion times before, but you so are. Don’t rush what’s in store for you, and don’t waste your time on a person who isn’t ready to treasure you and all that you are. You’re an amazing person with lots to give, and when the time is right you will.

2. Your thoughts matter.

“If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams, and you will always look lovely.” -- Roald Dahl

Speak words of life and encouragement over yourself. It's so much easier to pick yourself apart, or compare yourself to others around you but in the end all it does is fuel a continuous cycle of self-hate. Think good thoughts and focus on the things about yourself that are lovely.

3. Your time is valuable.

It’s easy to get into a funk and wallow in the “why not me.” The more time you waste wondering, the less time you’re spending chasing the things that make you happy.

4. You're not alone.

There are over 7 billion people on the planet and sometimes it feels like everyone else has someone except for you. That's not true, there are people just like you all over the world waiting to fall in love! Although you may be the only single one in your friend group know that it's not forever, your time is coming.

5. Surround yourself with others in your same position.

Nothing can suck worse sometimes than being the only single one in your friend group. When you're trying to live it up on a Thursday night and your friends would rather make goo-goo eyes on FaceTime, it can kill your vibe almost instantly. Branch out and find some girlies who are having a similar experience. You may even end up with braggy hashtags on your Insta like #allthesingleladies and #donthateuscuzyouaintus. Instead of asking your friends if their boyfriends have any cute friends, you're more likely to find someone on your own. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone -- you never know what could happen!

Don't ever give up on love. Trust its timing, be gentle with yourself, and chase what makes your heart happy.