By Tamela Staples
Some college students might feel as though having a significant other in college is a requirement in order to enjoy the university experience, which is not the case at all.
Alicia Kelley, a senior social work major from Anniston, who has been single for three years, said the freedom is “lovely” when you are single.
“I enjoy hanging out with my friends and going out to dinner,” Kelley said. “I also like to take road trips.”
Adrian Townsend, a freshman criminal justice major, from Birmingham, who has been single for three years, said it is OK to not have a significant other while in college.
“You get to live and explore life,” Townsend said. “You don’t have to worry about if your decisions are going to hurt someone.”
Life in college, if you are active, gets busy. Some days you will have to find ways to entertain yourself when your friends are busy.
Estella Taylor, a senior social work major from Mobile, who has been single for seven months, likes to spend her alone time writing and blogging.
“It is a way I can better express myself,” Taylor said.
You may feel like you need a significant other to enjoy small activities like attending social events on campus.
According to Taylor, it is the media and the way they portray that young adults are supposed to meet their lifetime partners while in college.
Townsend said that he enjoys single life by going to parties, and attending events on campus with his film crew to record them for a YouTube channel, JuiceTV.
As a single college student, you may see other couples on campus and feel as though you are missing out on love.
Townsend said he does not think single people are missing out on anything.
“If they were meant to be in a relationship, they would be,” Townsend said.
Kelley said many people just like to feel wanted by someone special.
“If you’re someone who is in college with a boyfriend, it can be a great feeling,” Kelley said. “You have someone to talk to, love and someone to push you towards greater things.
“It can be lonely and difficult not having a significant other at times. I say this because sometimes you get lonely, and you just want that different love from a person that you can’t get from a family member or a friend.”
Taylor said everyone wants that special someone to share some of his or her best life moments with.
“Everyone yearns for that connection,” Taylor said. “Personally, I am big on love but I will not settle for someone that cannot offer me that same love in return.”
Being able to handle being alone is very important when you get to college. There will be days where you will come home and there will not be anyone to talk to.
Townsend said it all depends on you and how you let being single affect your life.
“If you can’t make yourself happy, then no one else can,” Townsend said.
Taylor said you should never depend on another person to be the reason for life.
“A person should be able to add to your happiness, not create it,” Taylor said. “If you allow a person to create happiness for you, there’s a great possibility that you will be miserable without them.
“There was life before them, and I can guarantee that there will be life after them.”
Kelley said she understands the feeling some of you may feel while being single.
“I know being single can get lonely, hard, and be miserable at times,” Kelley said. “When it’s your time, you will come across the man or woman of your dreams that will make you realize why it was worth being single all this time.”
Comments