In this generation, dating is something that most don’t even find interest in doing anymore. People are more reluctant now to go on dates or actually getting to know someone on a personal level. Most people in this day and age are looking for someone to just have fun with for a couple of nights, instead of finding someone they can spend every night with.
People are no longer comfortable with getting to know others and letting others get to know them, because the idea of relationships and dating have changed drastically. If dating is looked down upon so much now, just imagine how it feels to have looked past these stereotypes, and have decided to get married. Or, imagine what it’s like to be getting married at a young age.

People like to think that, just because you are at a young age in your life, you are unable to find love or find someone you would like to spend the rest of your life with. I will be the first to admit that I was the same way. In my late teens, I refused to get close to anyone, I didn’t want to get married and I never wanted to have a family. I was convinced that living alone with my cats was the best way to go. It wasn’t until someone completely changed my outlook on life and love that I began to think that maybe I’d like more company in my life, besides my cats. And I am the first to show that just because I am young, doesn’t mean I can’t find someone who is good to me. Just because I’m young, doesn’t mean that I can’t find someone who has the same life goals with me, and wants to share these goals together.

I decided to get engaged at a young age, because I truly believe that the man that I have met and fell in love with is the person that I am truly supposed to spend my life with. I’m not getting married for the stereotype, the attention, or to make myself look better than anyone else. I’m not getting married at a young age because I’m “young and in love”, I’m getting married at a young age because I want to, and because I have found someone that is crazy enough to live this life with me.

Why is being “young and in love” such a bad thing?

Staying with someone forever is a huge commitment, and something that you have to work on for the rest of your life. Being married is going to throw many curveballs in my life, but I am more than ready to take on these curveballs with the person that I love. I may be young, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not capable of knowing how a marriage should work. Getting married at a young age means that I have accepted growing old with someone, sharing everything in my life with someone else, just like all other marriages. Just because I am young, doesn’t mean that I am not able to do those things.

People who decide to get married at a young age are looked down on because most people believe that we are wasting our young adult lives. Since we are young, we should want to go out and experience all of the exciting things life has to offer. Apparently, if you get married at a young age, you can’t go out and do those fun things anymore. To me, getting married at a young age means that you get to start going out and doing fun things earlier, and with someone to always be by your side.

Why would I want to go out and experience these exciting times alone? Why wouldn’t you want a lifelong partner to share these experiences with you early on in life? Why wouldn’t I want to be married to the person that I have spent so many years with, experiences with, and the good and the bad times with?

Getting married at a young age, doesn’t mean that I’m not allowed to go out and do things. I’m just able to do things with the person that I love, forever. Getting married at a young age, doesn’t mean that I’m not ready to take on doing life with someone for the many years to come.
Getting married early to me, is knowing that I am going to continue to grow as an individual, and looking forward to growing together as a couple, as well. Regardless of the stereotypes, the unwanted relationship “advice”, or the people telling me that getting married at a young age is a bad idea, I am ready to take on this crazy thing called life with my significant other, as a married couple.