College and the single life

I often think I'm far too picky when it comes to who I date.

Her hair's too long. Her butt's too big. That one thing she does, that annoys me too much.

Little preferences like these are likely the sole reason I'm single. Sometimes they even make me wonder why I can't just get over it and focus on everything that may be great about the particular girl.

Regardless, at the ripe young age of 20, a relationship is far from the No. 1 thing on my mind. Strangely enough, though, I've found that recently an increased amount of my friends seem to be involved in a serious relationship, even going as far as getting… engaged.

Engaged?! We're still so young. That's absurd.

But, admittedly, every now and then while walking around campus I notice a nice, happy couple looking all adorable holding hands and, for a brief moment, I reminisce about the good old days and wonder why it's been so long since I decided to turn in my freedoms as a bachelor for the life of commitment and expensive dates.

Then I remember how awesome it is to be single, and all my worries go away.

People, college shouldn't be about relationships! And here are five reasons why:

Your career should always be No. 1. Period.

It's tough enough in this day and age to find a job after graduation, let alone become successful within that field if you have a significant other you have to commit to just as much, if not more. Being single allows you to focus. Besides, once you're raking in the dough you'll have plenty of opportunity to make up for lost time.

They are anything but cost effective

Between dinners, movies, flowers and other various maintenance fees (god forbid you have to fork over $10,000 for that engagement ring), if you're a guy, you're spending way more on your significant other than you are on yourself. Now, I'm not cheap by any means, but money isn't easy to come by in college. If you're single, your money stays in your pocket.

You'll be more fun

How often do you go to a party somewhere and have your eye on that one guy or girl the entire night only to find out when you finally approach him or her that they're in a relationship? Boring. Not only does it ruin your confidence, it completely destroys your night. You don't really want to be that guy, do you? I mean, seriously, who wants to attend a party packed full of commitment? People in relationships can be some of the dullest around when it comes down to having a good time.

You can be your own person

Ever have one of those days where all you need is a little me-time, but your boyfriend/girlfriend hasn't seen you in a few days and is nagging you to hang out? Either you're forced to conjure up a quick excuse or else you've just initiated the latest chapter in the "why don't you want to spend time with me?!" argument. This is something that consistently bothers me and unless I somehow find the most awesome girl ever, this seems to be a recurring theme. If you're single, all your time is yours. You can plan your day worry-free of anyone else's needs and accomplish only what youneed to accomplish. What? Too eccentric? Oh well. College isn't about anyone but you. You pay thousands of dollars; it's time to be selfish.

This is supposed to be the time of your life. Enjoy it!

Stress, anxiety, anguish, guilt… I'm not just talking about homework. I'm talking about the emotional toll a relationship takes on most participants. It's hard enough worrying about your schoolwork, let alone each time your girlfriend gets upset when you miss her call. Instead, you can go out free of check-ins, drink excessively and spend the night with whomever your heart desires. You can debate it all you want, but the whole relationship thing ultimately prevents you from feeling great at all times, which, in case you were unaware, is the sole purpose of college.

Brandon Schlager can be reached by email at schlager.record@live.com.