We’ve all heard it before: You’re either going to marry the person you’re dating, or you’ll break up. So, why do we bother with high school relationships?
There’s no need for all that extra stress in our lives. We’re all busy enough as it is, and we don’t have the time.
We need to find out who we are as individuals before we can be in a successful relationship.
Being a senior, I find dating to be completely pointless — we’ll be moving on to bigger and better things in less than eight months. Any relationship you have senior year probably won’t work out once you leave for college. Sorry to break it to you.
The list goes on and on as to why people shouldn’t date in high school.
I know from experience it’s nice to have someone there for you who cares about you, but sometimes that’s more trouble than it’s worth.
People are becoming blinded by “love.” They lose sight of everything: their friends, their passions for life, their faith. And in all honesty, we’re too young to know what real love is.
Love is more than holding hands and cuddling.
Love is more than making out with your significant other.
Love is more than flowers and a cute note from your boyfriend.
Love is caring unconditionally for another and putting his or her happiness above your own — something that’s hard to do when you’re just in high school.
If you think about it, what are the chances you’ll end up marrying the person you’re dating in high school?
Very unlikely.
We are setting ourselves up for a loss. It’s a lose-lose situation — if you get dumped, obviously you’ll have to deal with the pain of heartbreak. And on the other hand, if you break up with someone, you’ll have to deal with the burden of hurting the person you care about.
So, why do we put ourselves through all this?
Because it teaches us lessons and helps form us into the people we are. Think about how different your life would be if you hadn’t been in certain relationships.
These people came into your life or left your life for a reason.
These people help us find qualities we want in a future spouse, and they help us mature while learning how to really care for another person.
These relationships teach us that change is inevitable.
You can’t control it. And, you can’t let it control you.
So, my advice to you is this: Don’t stress about dating in high school.
You can’t rely on other people as your only source of happiness because they could leave you at any time.
You have to find your own happiness.
Embrace your singleness — you’ll wish you had later on in life once you’re tied down.
Enjoy the freedom you have, and find out what you want to do with your life without being held back by someone you’re dating.
But, if you really do find someone who you’re happy with and “in love” with, go for it. Maybe you are part of that small percentage where the relationship actually works out.
If you never try, then you’ll never know.
Relationships are risky business.
But sometimes you have to risk it all to see what you might find.