According to Statistics Canada, in 2008, the average age at first marriage for men was 31 years and for women 29 years, while in the 1980s and early 1990s, the age at first marriage was around 26 for men and 24 for women (Statistics Canada, 2011).
....LOL
Well let's say I definitely NEVER expected, 2 years ago, to be where I'm at today: owning a house with my boyfriend, having 3 dogs, and seriously seeing myself being engaged within the next few years. Ask any of my friends, and I guarantee they will say that they never saw any of that coming for me either.
I say stop telling yourself that your 20s are meant to be single. You're making it sound like being in a relationship is a bad thing, when really it could be the best thing that happens in your life.
Stop making it sound like you won't be able to live life; being in a relationship is not some sort of prison.
And stop being afraid to miss out on the "single life", when what you should really be afraid to miss out on is the love of your life.
To clear up a few stereotypes and misconceptions about being in a serious relationship in your 20s, here's what it's ACTUALLY like:
1) You get to learn so much about yourself. Whoever said that they learn way more about themselves when they're alone/single...has never been in a relationship. You learn about what you want in life, you learn about your personality, you learn about personality traits you don't like in others, you learn about how you deal with stressful situations...and really I could go on forever.
2) You get to laugh A LOT. The amount of inside jokes that we have accumulated in 2 years is ridiculous and I'm sure every couple can relate.
3) Going to sleep and waking up beside someone you love everyday is truly special. I'm not talking about sleepovers here and there. I'm talking about the feeling you get when it happens everyday, and when you want it to be everyday for the rest of your life.
4) There is no rush or stress about marriage and having kids. Couples in their late 20s/early 30s definitely have more pressure to get REAL serious REAL fast (biological clocks are ticking). If you're with "the one" earlier, you can just enjoy your relationship for a few years and more importantly, take all the time you need to really figure out if they are the person you want to spend the rest of your life with and/or have children with. I also find that people in late 20s/early 30s take their relationships more seriously in consequence of this. However, people shouldn't be taking their relationships seriously just because they're at the age of having kids. All relationships should be taken seriously, or just..don't be in a relationship then.
5) Everything that you can do when you're single, can still be done FYI. (obviously except hookup with other people, unless you're swingers, never know) This one makes me laugh. Like yeah I totally can't go out because I'm in a relationship. Or yeah I totally can't focus on school or work. Or even better I totally can't see any of my girls..............If you actually can't though, get out of your relationship, pronto.
6) You always have a travel buddy. How often do you find yourself planning weekend getaways with friends, or winter trips down south, or summer road-trips.....that end up never happening? We all have our busy lives and budget constraints, and when I was single, I always found it hard to find travel buddies that stuck to the plan. Small or big trips definitely have more chances of happening with your s/o, and you can really help each other stay on track with saving $$$ in order to make the trip happen.
7) You can totally still have time to yourself. This is another one that makes me laugh. Sorry but if I wanna go get my nails done, or shopping with girls, or whatever the f*ck I wanna do alone, I'm gonna do it, and my boyfriend won't care, and I'll definitely not feel bad about it. Like...what kind of people have you been dating if you don't find you have time for yourself?!.... :S
8) Unlimited cuddles. Enough said.
9) You have someone to share your goals with. A relationship does not, in any way, stop you from having goals or aspirations. In fact, I find it more motivating when I have someone to share my goals and aspirations with, especially when I know that they will be there to help and support me, and also always provide honest feedback when I need it.
10) You can plan your future. When you're in a serious relationship, a big part of that is seeing a future together, and beginning to plan it. Living together, buying a property together, buying a car, getting a pet, travel plans...etc, are all super exciting things to plan and look forward to, which are definitely less considered when single.
11) Some "friends" will not be supportive. Finally, an unfortunate thing to look forward to when you're in a serious relationship in your early 20s, is judgment and negative support, even from people who care about you. Some people may find you naive and "too young" when taking big steps in your relationship. Some people will warn you that you are going to look back and "regret" "settling down" at a young age. I say f*ck it, if you're in a great relationship, hold on to that, cherish it, and don't spend a second listening to what people have to say. Even if it doesn't work out, there is nothing to regret. In fact, you should be proud that you are (or were) able to be in a mature relationship at a young age, and be proud of everything you learn and experience, that unfortunately most people today wait too long to do...
I'm turning 23 in a few weeks, and do I miss being single? Not a single bit.