Youth is wasted on the young. We’ve all heard the saying. How valid that is- well that’s really up for interpretation. I can’t help but believe that it holds a lot of truth though.

It seems every time I log on to Facebook, I see another high school classmate that has gotten engaged or is having a baby. I sometimes catch myself wondering, maybe they’re the ones with their life together and I’m just behind.

Living in the South, especially the Bible belt, marriage and family are not only seen frequently, but they’re sort of encouraged. I am in no way putting down the notion of marriage or having a family at a young age, but it’s definitely not a desire for every young, twenty-something and I’m tired of feeling like I’ve failed because I’m no where near wanting those things.

I don’t think that anyone should feel bad or like a failure for enjoying being young and carefree.

There is so much pressure to pursue the “American Dream.”

You are supposed to follow the time line of going to college, meeting your soul mate at college, graduating, marrying said soul mate and then having a family and a career.

Personally, I choose to live my college experience in a youthful way.

I want to spend my days worrying only about getting to class on time, what’s going to happen on the next episode of Glee, if the Warhawks are going to win Saturday’s football game, or what color my Mardi Gras dress is going to be.

Life is such a beautiful gift and I hate to see people upset…sometimes (a lot of the times) me too…when their life isn’t going the way they think it’s supposed to.

Movies, books and other people’s influence tell us that we should want a long-term relationship, a career that makes a ton of money and dress like we walked out of Vogue.

Maybe I just want to go on fun dates and not settle down right now, or have a job as a painter who struggles to make ends meet and wear sweaters and fedoras all of the time.

What makes this dream any less worthy than settling down at age twenty-something?

We only get to be this half kid/half adult age for a little while. We have the rest of our lives to accomplish great things and be a grown up.

Right now, I just want to go dancing or hang out with my sorority sisters.  I want to have fun and be young while I still have the chance.

In just a few years, college will be just another memory. Don’t waste it.