Don't tie the knot without further thought

By Jennifer Westendorp

west0145@algonquincollege.com

You’re young and you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. So what’s the next step? Here’s a hint – it’s not marriage.

A few weeks ago, I ran into a girl with whom I attended high school. We chatted for a few minutes and then, out of nowhere, she shoved her left hand in my face to show off an engagement ring. Her eyes were practically radiating with blissful ignorance. The same thought kept running through my mind – big mistake.
Let’s go through the list of reasons why getting married young is a bad idea. First of all, you’re still young. You don’t even know yourself yet, let alone your so-called “soul mate.”

You need to think about the likely alternatives to your happy ending. For instance, what if the person you “love” turns out to be a useless bum who never goes anywhere in life. It would be extremely disappointing if your significant other ended up holding you back in life rather than enriching it. It’s better to wait and establish your own life before trying to create a better life with someone else.

Another reason to wait is the possibility of finding someone else who you like more than the person you originally picked. You may think you’re in love, but the only true test is whether you get butterflies every time you see that person. Then again, it could just be gas.

Finally, being married means that half of everything you own belongs to someone else. Right now, that may not seem like a big deal, but what happens if you win the lottery? It’s just not worth the risk.   

Another thing I’d like to point out is the divorce rate in North America, which is 50 per cent. This means your odds of staying together are equivalent to flipping a coin.

Essentially, marriage is no longer sacred. People need to start taking it more seriously. Even though we live in a fast-paced society, marriage is not something you rush into.