life can wait

it seems like my family members are more interested in my love life than my academic career. My singleness has even become an ongoing joke in the family. My grandpa repeatedly asks every year, “So when is your boyfriend showing up?” to which I have finally come up with the [appropriate] clever response that my boyfriend will show up when his does too.

One thing I can’t seem to wrap my head around is why it is expected of me to have a steady, adult relationship with the intent of settling down at twenty years old. I’ve only been out of high school for a few years and can barely even figure out how my credit card works, much less how to coexist and be interdependent with another human being.

I’m young. I’m still reckless and stupid at times, and I have a million more mistakes to make before I want to even think about binding myself to another person.

There is so much that I want to do, so many places that I want to see, and a thousand people I could meet before I find “the one.” The thought of being tied down at my age is absolutely terrifying. Of course, I don’t have to marry the next guy I have a serious relationship with, but let’s not pretend that that relationships don’t come with some restrictions.