In today's society, fewer and fewer young adults are getting married and 40 to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Some people may reason that fewer young people are settling down because more people are getting college educations, which makes them want to focus on their careers before settling down. However, I think there are other reasons that it is uncommon for my generation to be committed to one partner.

The Internet is creating a new culture

The introduction of the internet was a major technological advance that Generation Y (1980-1999 babies) was born into. Most '90s babies don't remember a time without email, Google, or AIM. With the world wide web in the palm of their hand, the millennial generation has been raised knowing they have access to a large network of people and information. Dating apps have also increased the dating pool, and people aren't as limited in meeting new people. However, the Internet may be causing a new culture for millennials.

Tinder, OKCupid, and many more social network sites are popular for many young adults looking for some intimate interactions. However, these sites have created a "hook-up" culture, with no strings attached.

People can meet others on the Internet, hook up for a night, and then take separate ways. I would not go so far as to say I think our generation is scared of commitment, but I do believe that people use social network sites to find someone to hook up with because they don't want any emotional ties.

There is no "walk of shame" with the cutie you met on Tinder if you don't stay overnight. While social networking makes casual sex more accessible, it also puts people in danger.

Hooking up can be dangerous

The Internet allows us to create our own alterable image to display who we are virtually. We can filter our interests, our friends, our pictures, and what we say.

Anyone can also claim to be someone else, which is something we need to consider.

People on social media sites can create a fake profile, pretending to be a different age and/or gender to lure younger people to agree to "hook up" with them. However, the "24-year-old girl from California" may be a 40-year-old man from Utah with different intentions. People put their lives in danger by trusting people on the world wide web and meeting them to hook up.

The world is already overpopulated

Some could argue that we millennials don't need to settle down and get married, because that would mean couples would want to start to have children. And the Earth is already overpopulated as it is. However, MTV's "Teen Mom" and "16 and Pregnant" are examples of how the hook-up culture does not stop our generation from having children, and people don't need to be married to raise a child. Birth control is not 100 percent effective, and things can happen.

According to Dr. David Popenoe, children with unmarried parents are less likely to get parenting from their fathers, and unwed couples who raise a child are 50 percent more likely to break up, which can increase the risk of social problems as the child grows up. Millennials should consider marriage before thinking about having children, at least for the child's sake. People hooking up don't often take time to consider what would happen if they were to conceive a child. They also don't always think about their health before agreeing to hook up.

The deadliest catch

Sexually transmitted diseases are also a big issue in the hook-up culture. When people plan to meet up, they may not consider the health of the other person, and they don't often have a big discussion before things get a little too far -- instead, they just jump right into it. HIV/AIDS, HPV, and chlamydia are all serious illnesses prevalent in today's societies. Yes, we have medication to treat some diseases, as well as barriers to prevent the spread of body fluid, but there is always still a risk of getting an STD from a hook-up. Some people may not know that they have a STD, and not all people get symptoms for all diseases. When people meet on the Internet, one of the questions that typically do not go through their heads is asking if they have any STDs.

Take a step back

In conclusion, I believe that my generation needs to take a look at themselves and realize that this hook-up culture isn't as fun as they make it seem. Not only are they putting themselves at risk on the Internet to sexual predators, but they may not be cautious about how their health may be affected. In addition, no matter how "safe" the sex is, there is always a chance that a child may be a result of a hook-up. We are a no-strings generation, and maybe that’s because we want to rebel against the strings that people put on us. But our spontaneous choices may have problematic long-term effects. Maybe we should consider settling down, like the past generations have, in our own millennial way.