By Brooke Hamilton | Contributing Columnist

Whether we’re deliberately aware of it or not, we’re all subconsciously looking for someone to “complete” us — our other half, our true love, our “soul mate.”

But why? Is it because we, as humans, crave affection and love? Or because society fosters the message that being single is the same as being unwanted?

Dating has always been a man’s prerogative, and only recently women have started to take the reins.

Until the prohibition years, it wasn’t even socially acceptable for women to actively flirt or pursue a man, and it wasn’t until the World War II era that women voiced their dissatisfaction with becoming stay-at-home housewives and left to pursue their own passions.

Women now have higher standards when searching for “Mr. Right,” because they no longer have to rely on a man to be the economic provider.

And for the first time, dating is a two way street.

Technology has performed an overhaul on the dating realm; today we can fall in love without even physically meeting.

Relationships are more of a goal and an acquisition than a natural progression of life.

Everyone wants to be in a relationship and everyone searches for love because the label “single” is coined with a negative connotation.

When one shares their single relationship status, it’s generally accommodated with a warm, sympathetic smile, and the words “you’ll find someone.”

Advertisers constantly bombard us with ads portraying an image of blissful couples, persuading us to search for our future spouses.

It seems like the world is in such a rush to be in love that we’re doing it the wrong way.

Stop searching.

We are young, in college and have the rest of our lives to live.

If you fall in love, fall. But don’t ever beg or manipulate for love.

Don’t settle for less and don’t become comfortable with it. Don’t let the promise and comfort of ordinary love weigh down your dreams.

Being single is not the same as being unwanted.

Being single means you’re strong enough to enjoy life without depending on others for happiness. It’s essential to learn how to be happy alone.

These are the years where we can afford to be selfish, especially with our hearts.

We have no commitments and so many choices, opportunities and reasons to be happy.

And single.

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