Relationship Status: Must Be In One!

What is it with some people's obsession with being in a relationship? I just don't get it. It's as if the word "single" is the new dirty word! They would rather be labeled a "cheater" than "single." Because if you're a cheater, you are at least in a relationship, or you've recently been in a relationship. But if you're single, you're dubbed a loser? This "must be in a relationship" notion seems to be especially true for Gen-Y, which I suppose makes sense given the fact that we grew up on technology. The Internet had just begun to boom when we were teenagers, which was the same time we started dating. Shortly after, Facebook came along and with it the infamous "Relationship Status" field we needed to fill out. While some where eager and more than happy to select "In A Relationship," others sheepishly selected the dirty word from the drop down box - "Single." Still, others opted for the "It's Complicated" selection...which always kills me when I see someone under the age of 18 saying it's complicated. Think it's complicated now? Just wait until you're older and you actually have a REAL relationship. Something more meaningful. Something that involves deeper feelings than the puppy love, school crushes you are accustom to.

We all know someone who changes their Facebook Relationship Status at a dizzying rate! Like a light switch, they're on again, off again. We see the happy, full heart icon when they enter a relationship. Then we see the sad, broken heart icon when they breakup. It's digitally dramatic. And am I the only one who doesn't care whether their heart is full or butterflies or daggers? Maybe it's a girl thing, but relationship status quos just don't interest me. When it comes to relationships, I guess I'm a bit old fashion in the sense that I don't feel the need to publicly announce my single/not single status. For the most part, I keep who I'm dating rather private. Afterall, a romantic relationship is supposed to be a private matter, is it not?

It's not Facebook Relationship Statuses that concern me though. What concerns me is the fact that I know far too many people that are willing to just settle, for the sake of wanting to say "I have a boyfriend/girlfriend." They basically settle for whoever will have them. They try converting their long time friend as a new love interest or get back together with an ex that previously treated them like poop! Why? Because like an old shoe, it's comfy. But when did people start picking comfy over happy? Comfy over excitement? Comfy over finding that one person in life you should (were meant to) be with, rather than the one that you just settled for because it was convenient to do so and they agreed to your relationship status quo? I believe it was Carrie Bradshaw that once said, "I'm looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love." I don't know about you, but I want that! I want a girl that makes me deliriously happy and I refuse to settle for anything less.

Nobody will deny that dating can sometimes be scary, but people are basically throwing in the towel when it comes to love and that's just sad. Who would have thought that we would see the day when being in a relationship is viewed as LESS scary than dating!

Even as far back as the 6th grade, I saw this obsession people had with wanting to be in a relationship. It was like the badge of cool. If you weren't "going with" someone, you were a loser. Sure this love would only last for a week, a month at best, but during that time you made sure everyone knew you had a boyfriend/girlfriend. Kids were so desperate to be in a relationship that they even made-up fictitious boyfriends/girlfriends that they claimed went to another school. Rrright. I won't pretend I was immune to this. Half-way through the school year the pressure got to me. I was tempted to find a cute model from my sister's Teen magazine, cut out her photo, stuff it in my wallet and pass it off as "my girlfriend" that went to another school. In 2009, apparently 49-year-old woman try doing the same thing...but instead of Teen magazine, they use Facebook.