As most of you know, I currently attend Walla Walla University, humorously nicknamed Western Wedding University. That being said most girls are here to get there MRS degree and aren’t leaving until they do. Over the holiday break 13 of my friends got engaged and 8 more the month before that. My Facebook has just become a catalog of who is getting married and who is soon to follow. It is ridiculous.

Among all that, I am single. I have been basically most of my life. I am one to support my friends from the background, watching and learning from the mistakes of others. Waiting for the one that is right for me. I am happy, figuring out what I want and what I deserve out of life. I have big dreams for my career and a love for art and writing. I am growing so much in who I am and what I want to be.

Stop shaming me for being single. You are dating and that is great, but don’t look sad and disappointed when I tell you I am not dating anyone. I do not need a man to be whole. I can be happy and strong and live a fulfilled life without someone. I do not need to wait around for someone to come along to start my life.

I can start working towards my goals and dreams right now and I am tired of being told otherwise. Stop trying to set me up. Stop trying to make me feel less of a woman because I am single. Lift me up and push me towards my goals, not a man. I can be beautiful and fulfilled without someone else. I have a lot of growing and figuring out within myself, before I am ready to let someone else in to my bubble of safety and joy.

You may have found someone that pushes you and makes you laugh and I am so happy for you. Everyone deserves to be happy and I am not saying you are less of a woman for being in a relationship. But don’t think that I am failing because I am almost done with college and still single. Because guess what? I can live in a beautiful studio apartment by myself and do whatever I want. I don’t have to start saving for weddings and mortgages I can buy shoes and purses if I want. I can travel and focus on my career. I can do whatever I want whenever I want.

I will be damned if people keep looking at me with sad puppy eyes like I missed the train to happiness. No. I am free and beautiful and strong and can be happy working on myself and my goals and I don’t need you to flash your ring in my face and prove to me that you have arrived.

Sure I want a wedding and a family someday but I don’t want it now. And I have the rest of my life to spend nagging my husband to pick up his underwear off the floor; why waste this time doing that now?