From day one of freshman orientation, Grove City makes the light-hearted joke of “look to your left, look to your right, you may be sitting next to your husband or wife.” This is a statement made to lighten the mood and break the ice. But there is social pressure regarding getting engaged your second semester senior year. Said pressure is completely derived from the student body. Does this sound silly? Yes, absolutely. But I can personally attest as a second semester senior in a long-term relationship the pressure to get engaged is present.
Disclaimer, I do not think getting engaged your spring semester senior year is bad. Not at all. Heck, I would like to be! I just want to empathize with the future Grove City student who is in the same boat as I am. You are in a serious relationship with no ring yet – which is perfectly fine. And you are so happy in your relationship. Yet seemingly everyone around you is getting engaged and you cannot help but wish you were too. All of your peers will not stop asking you when you are getting engaged. Therefore, you become slightly discontent with the current phase of life you are in.
I am writing this to simply encourage you to be content with the specific relational season you are in. Being single is a beautiful time to develop your own sense of self and evaluate what you want in a partner. Dating is so fun because you get to experience the joy of doing life with somebody without the responsibilities of real life yet. Engagement is wonderful because you are planning your big day together, awaiting the day you no longer have to be apart. And marriage is the end zone where you finally get to spend everyday with the one your soul loves. The point is, there is beauty, growth, hardships, and really good things in all seasons of relationships. Do not allow what is going on around you to steal from the joy you do have right now in whatever relational phase you are in. If you are looking for what is next or what everyone else is doing, you will always be discontent. Focus on you, your relational phase, and you will prosper, be joyful, and content.
There is no right way to be in a relationship when you are about to graduate college. All of that to say, of course Grove City is a wonderful place to potentially find a loved one and grow in your relations with those at the College. All I am saying is that there is a time and a season for everything. You are in the season of life you are in because God has you there for a reason. Lean into that and not the pressure of being somewhere you are not yet.
