The holidays are a time for family, friends, presents, eggnog, and… a relationship? There’s just something about the cold weather and arrival of snow that pushes many of us to hunt for that someone special. It’s almost as if the holidays are more magical with a relationship, from having a cuddle in front of the fireplace (or furnace, if you’re not that fancy) to kissing under the mistletoe, now seems like the perfect time of the year for a boyfriend.
I was a little jealous when I found out all of my friends were getting into relationships. I saw people on my residence starting to date, got calls from my friends back home about their new relationships, and saw an increase in couples holding hands around campus. I felt like the entire world was in a relationship, and I was the only single person left on Earth.
But then, I realized something – I realized that it wasn’t the fact that I didn’t have a boyfriend that was bothering me, it was that I felt alone. As Charlotte Bronte once said, “the trouble is not that I am single and likely to stay single, but that I am lonely and likely to stay lonely.” University is still new territory for many of us, myself included, and it would be nice to have someone to explore it with. But at the same time, it’s important to note that being alone doesn’t have to be a negative aspect. It took me 18 years to realize that being single, even during the holidays, is perfectly acceptable. Yes, you have to buy your own Starbucks and no, you do not have someone to cuddle with, but at the same time, it gives you time to focus on yourself. Prince Charming is sure to come, but until then, university is a time of finding yourself. Do yoga, mediate, join clubs, and find your place in the world. And maybe, somewhere on your path to self discovery, you might end up bumping into your soul mate.