Why S.A.D. is Sad | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Relationships

Why S.A.D. is Sad

A mini-rant on how sad SAD makes our current culture

16
Why S.A.D. is Sad
wordpress.com

So many people have come up to me and asked me about my love life: "Are you seeing anybody?" "Any lucky ladies in your life?"

My answer is usually some sort of sarcastic remark like: "Oh yeah, every lady I meet is pretty lucky because I'm so awesome." But the truth is, it's pretty stagnant... and I'm okay with that.

Something that I've noticed pretty passively about my generation is that we are so wrapped up in the idea of a relationship. I've always been very distant about the whole idea. I want any relationship I enter into to be worth it. I want to pursue something life-long. I'm not about pouring my time and energy into being with a girl who isn't looking for marriage. Call these old fashioned values or whatever, I just find it more worth my time to pursue meaningful relationships.

Anybody hear of this "Single Awareness Day" nonsense? We really need a day to spend "celebrating" being single right after a day we celebrate being in a relationship? The day after Valentine's Day is now Single Awareness Day (humiliatingly abbreviated as 'SAD'... really, people?) because apparently, we need to reiterate that it is okay to be single. My question is: What do we need to be aware of? I'm not quite sure what there is to be aware of about single people, but I sort of understand why we need to spread so-called 'awareness'.

Worth is found, by so many, in who people are with. Their significant other defines their personality, dictates their happiness, and shapes their being. Human worth doesn't lie in these things. I'm not saying I'm perfect--hardly. Do you know how many great girls I've lost because I've been too hesitant on letting them in? Because I didn't want to "ruin" a good friendship? Because I worked in my own timing, in my own thoughts? It's all a learning process, though. I'm confident that when I find "the one", the timing and the awkwardness won't matter.

I am 21 years old and single... and I'm saying that we don't need Single's Awareness Day... and the fact that people feel so insecure about being single is just, well... SAD (see what I did there?).

Finding confidence in yourself is key to jumping into a good relationship. If you're single and stressed out about it and you really need a "Singles Awareness Day" celebration to perk you up, then you're probably not ready for a relationship in the first place. Your worth doesn't lie in the relationships you have. The fact that our culture sets aside a day to "make people see that it's OK to be single" just screams volumes about where our values lie right now. We're definitely not as independent as a people as we claim to be if that has to be screamed from the rooftops and turned into an event.

If you're in a relationship that is a functioning, well-oiled machine, then good for you! I'm happy for you! If you're single and happy, that's awesome! But in reality: Who cares what I think about you and your relationship status? That's the problem is that we all care too much about the opinions and the realities of others and comparing where we are to where "they" are. Let's stop putting so much focus as a society on who we're with for our happiness.

While the people behind Singles Awareness Day were probably making it a jab to abbreviate it to SAD (because it's "oh-so-sad" to be single), I think the true sadness is that they believe that's the case... or that they believe we need to care so much about what people think.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

761
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

597
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 20 Thoughts College Students Have During Finals

The ultimate list and gif guide to a college student's brain during finals.

37
winter

Thanksgiving break is over and Christmas is just around the corner and that means, for most college students, one hellish thing — finals week. It's the one time of year in which the library becomes over populated and mental breakdowns are most frequent. There is no way to avoid it or a cure for the pain that it brings. All we can do is hunker down with our books, order some Dominos, and pray that it will all be over soon. Luckily, we are not alone in this suffering. To prove it, here are just a few of the many deranged thoughts that go through a college student's mind during finals week.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

28 Daily Thoughts of College Students

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

1290
group of people sitting on bench near trees duting daytime

I know every college student has daily thoughts throughout their day. Whether you're walking on campus or attending class, we always have thoughts running a mile a minute through our heads. We may be wondering why we even showed up to class because we'd rather be sleeping, or when the professor announces that we have a test and you have an immediate panic attack.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments