So Why Are You Single?

I get this question a lot, and it being Valentine’s Day time, it makes me think of it more often than usual. First off, it’s only fair for me to let you know a little bit about me. I’m a 22 year-old college student in LA that works on a few websites. I’m a pretty normal girl, so I guess that’s why people always puzzle over why I’m not with a guy. I always find this weird, because I think the answer is obvious. Isn’t it evident that when a (normal) person isn’t in a relationship that it’s because they are not in love? Love is the only reason to be in a relationship, so if I’m not in love, why should I be trying to get into one? And obviously, it’s never a good idea to go around trying to get with someone, because that’s not the way it works. You’ll probably only trick yourself into thinking you feel something because you’re looking for it so badly and possibly ruin your life for a few years even worse, maybe permanently.

I guess I don’t understand why people are in such a hurry to pair off, even if they’re ‘not sure’ how they feel about each other. Don’t they see that being in that special relationship that involves only one other person in the entire world is immensely remarkable? I know I must not be the only one that still believes in true love and the extraordinary thing that it is. I believe in love that’s meant for only two people. When I think of it, really, I think of It’s a Wonderful Life. Yes, I know it’s a movie, but what I’m referring to perfectly illustrates my point. When George Bailey saw what life would be like if he were never born, he saw his wife, Mary, as a single woman. If she hadn’t met George, she would have never married. There would have never been anyone she met that she couldn’t live without and she would have never been in love.

So as we live in a time where two or three marriages are a commonality as divorce rates for first marriage as around 50%, it seems to me that people are losing their senses. Don’t they know when they are in true love? That’s why I feel like it’s such an odd question to hear ‘why are you single’? I thought the answer was obvious.

If you are married, I hope you are certain that you are with the love of your life. If you are, I’m happy for you for finding that person. If you are in the same situation as I am, it’s good to know others have enough principles and courage to not feel the need to be in a relationship without the proper cause of true love. As for me, as I have not met the guy I felt strongly enough about, and definitely no one yet for my family to meet ;-), I will use my head and stay single until I’m in love. Until then, I guess I’ll just need to think up some clever responses.

Temporary Enhancements

Moving into a temporary apartment can be a hassle, believe me, I’ve done it three times over the past three years. First you need to find the apartment, then handle all of the legal business, which sometimes includes a roommate; and lastly you need to figure out a way to make your apartment look semi-homey while staying inside your budget. This last step, in my opinion, is the hardest of all. Especially if you’re a college student and barely have enough money to feed yourself, let alone afford to decorate where you live.

My first tip in looking for an apartment is of course to find a good location. Most areas around college campuses can be full of crime, and no one likes an apartment complex that is broken into all of the time. However, if not many other options are available, you can stay safe by always making sure to lock your doors and windows. Another important aspect to look for, especially for those with a busy schedule, is an apartment with carpet instead of wooden floors. Wood floors are a nuisance to clean mostly because the process of sweeping and mopping. Instead get an apartment with carpet where time is saved in cleaning by a quick vacuum job. More focus can be spent on other parts of your apartment, such as the kitchen and bathroom, which take longer to clean.

The legal issues are dealt with as you move into your apartment. Most of this process is pretty typical and not very messy or hard. Of course you should always make sure, if you have a roommate, to lay down some ground rules about living together. I always find it can be tougher to live with someone if there is no boundaries or rules, or even designated cleaning days. It’s best to set up all of this before moving in with someone, because otherwise unnecessary problems can occur and cause tension among roommates.

Once you’re all moved in its time to start decorating your new apartment. I always find the best way to begin decorating is by ordering a few posters from a website. There are plenty of websites that have a wide variety of posters related with music, film, and many other forms of entertainment. Not only do these posters take up a lot of wall space, they’re not very expensive and are great conversation starters. In order to hang these posters, they can either be inexpensively framed or you can invest in some kind of poster glue. The poster glue may cost less, but in my experience doesn’t stick to walls very well. Other than posters, many decorations can be purchased at garage sales; you’d be surprised what you can find. Sometimes you can even get lucky enough to find free picture frames, vintage chairs, or even lava lamps sitting on peoples front lawns.

Starting over in a new place can be intimidating to say the least, but it can also be entertaining. Just be aware that there’s endless possibilities in enhancing your temporary apartment in affordable ways, you just need to have an open mind!