I would never call myself normal, but I am an average 22-year-old. I enjoy margaritas, board games, books and movies. I also procrastinate my school work until the LAST minute.

As I look around me, I see many people who are engaged or are already married. My best friend is already getting a divorce at 22. I blinked and all of a sudden it was the thing to get married young again. This just gave my mother the extra push she wanted.

My parents married right out of high school. My grandparents had an “uh-oh” moment and found themselves married and with a baby at 14 and 17. So it was never a surprise when I was in high school and my mother always asked why I wasn’t dating anyone. And when I continued to not date, they started inquiring if I was a lesbian. The answer was no, I was not and am not. I never understood why it was expected of me to date just because my mother was convinced that “life was passing me by.”

Once again, here I am at 22, doing what I can to make her think I’m looking for “Mr. Right.” I go on random Tinder dates, sometimes I just stay out of the house, letting her think I have a date as well.

How do you tell people who thinks they have your best interest at heart that you just aren’t ready? The sad thing is, you really can’t. So you do what you can to keep your parents satisfied while you try to get your life straight.

I am not by any means knocking those that do find the love of their life young. Kudos to you for being ready for that. I, on the other hand, don’t understand why I have to do it just because everyone else is.

I have goals. I want to finish school, get a job, buy a house and then worry about the dating world. Do I want to get married? Of course.

Ever since I was a kid, I wanted a big wedding and beautiful children.

But I feel no reason to rush. To those who are like me, take things slow.

Figure yourselves out, and when the time comes, you will know.