Spring Break
I do? I think...
Samantha Hughes
Issue date: 6/3/09 Section: Opinion
The first and only time I was proposed to, it was the fourth of July at a fireworks festival.
The guy, my boyfriend at the time, was hardly my prince charming. We fought every other day and were both far too immature for a relationship of that caliber.
However, he seemed to believe that I was "the one." For months, he talked about children (SIX! As if I'm a dog.) and that ominous word "future." At the time, I wasn't quite the futurephobe I am now. Now I get the squicks if you mention something that is not within a year or two of the present.
So there he was, on one knee, my back towards the fireworks. He didn't have an elaborate or sweet proposal, to my chagrin. I didn't want a soliloquy by any means, but come on kid, woo the girl! And for heaven's sake, don't try to snap her finger off when she goes to touch the ring!
It was hot and I felt gross. This was not the kind of proposal I wanted.
I was, and still am, weary of the whole "engagement/proposal" phase of a relationship. I don't need a sparkly ring to know how much I'm valued. Especially when my fingers tend to disagree with rings (read: they never fit.)
He got his heart broken, as did I. Our parting was difficult and strained, ending with him throwing the ring at me. It's sitting in a jewelry box in some mysterious dark corner of my dorm room, unwanted and nearly forgotten, much like the relationship.
Young marriages are apparently the new trend. I can understand this: you feel like you can't live your life without your loverboy or sugarpie. It's understandable, but rushing off to Vegas to get sloshed might not be the answer to this. Over 50 percent of marriages that occur before the age of 25, or "the age of reason" as scientists say, end in separation and divorce.
So why am I looking around my classes and seeing diamonds on left ring fingers? When I inquire about it, because as a female I am genetically predetermined to be nosey about such issues, I get the typical response: "It's going to be a long engagement."
The guy, my boyfriend at the time, was hardly my prince charming. We fought every other day and were both far too immature for a relationship of that caliber.
However, he seemed to believe that I was "the one." For months, he talked about children (SIX! As if I'm a dog.) and that ominous word "future." At the time, I wasn't quite the futurephobe I am now. Now I get the squicks if you mention something that is not within a year or two of the present.
So there he was, on one knee, my back towards the fireworks. He didn't have an elaborate or sweet proposal, to my chagrin. I didn't want a soliloquy by any means, but come on kid, woo the girl! And for heaven's sake, don't try to snap her finger off when she goes to touch the ring!
It was hot and I felt gross. This was not the kind of proposal I wanted.
I was, and still am, weary of the whole "engagement/proposal" phase of a relationship. I don't need a sparkly ring to know how much I'm valued. Especially when my fingers tend to disagree with rings (read: they never fit.)
He got his heart broken, as did I. Our parting was difficult and strained, ending with him throwing the ring at me. It's sitting in a jewelry box in some mysterious dark corner of my dorm room, unwanted and nearly forgotten, much like the relationship.
Young marriages are apparently the new trend. I can understand this: you feel like you can't live your life without your loverboy or sugarpie. It's understandable, but rushing off to Vegas to get sloshed might not be the answer to this. Over 50 percent of marriages that occur before the age of 25, or "the age of reason" as scientists say, end in separation and divorce.
So why am I looking around my classes and seeing diamonds on left ring fingers? When I inquire about it, because as a female I am genetically predetermined to be nosey about such issues, I get the typical response: "It's going to be a long engagement."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Cindy Hughes
posted 6/03/09 @ 9:28 AM EST
Very nice. I enjoyed it. The article was very well written. You're the bomb!!
Maria
posted 6/03/09 @ 11:03 AM EST
I'm definitely not getting married until my late 20s-early 30s. And I agree that this was a well written article! I know 2 engaged people in my major and it blows my mind every time I think about it! How can they know who they want to spend the "rest of their lives" with? I can't wrap my head around it. (Continued…)
Anna
posted 6/07/09 @ 11:58 PM EST
I'm glad to see I'm not alone in my skepticism about marriage. You go girl! It makes me chuckle a little to myself when people preach about the "sanctity" of marriage. (Continued…)
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