There is definitely a stigma with being single, especially in college. The pressure to find the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with seems to amplify during these years. During the holidays, family members continually ask about your love life and all your friends seem to be getting engaged. You start to panic because you feel behind the game, but don’t worry, you aren’t. You have the rest of your life to be in a relationship, enjoy being single while you can.

Being in a relationship is great, but so is being single. There is no reason to feel embarrassed or ashamed when your friends start getting into relationships and you're still flying solo, and under no circumstances should you let your confidence drop. Just because you aren’t dating someone doesn’t mean you aren’t desirable.

Your worth is not defined by your relationship status.

Before you can allow yourself to fall for someone, you need to fall in love with yourself. Learning to love who you are, quirks and all, is the first and most important step before committing to a serious relationship. Lots of people spend their time looking for their worth through the eyes of someone else. They start changing who they are to fit someone else’s idea of perfection and eventually forget who they were back when they were single. If finding this version of yourself again means taking a break from the dating scene, there is no shame in that.

Love often comes when you are least expecting it, so stop searching for it and just live your life. No one's life happens exactly the same as someone else's, so if your friends are at a different point in life than you, don't panic. Your time might be a few years from now, and that's okay. College is a time for you to explore your options and figure out what you want in life. Spend some time experimenting with new activities and doing the things you love. Chances are you’ll meet someone with similar interests and life goals without even having to search.

Once you have set a firm foundation of who you are as an individual, the rest comes easily. If you get your life started in the direction you want it to go, similar people will naturally gravitate towards you. There's no need to change who you are to please someone else, and comparing yourself to others is just as bad. Just remember to live your life the way you want to, and don't feel pressured to jump into a relationship you aren't ready for. Be confident in who you are and don't falter. Your time will come soon enough.