After the past few months, I realize I'm at that point in life where so many people I went to school with are getting engaged or married. Some are a few years older, and some are even younger, but a lot are from my graduating class.

First of all, I realize not everyone is getting engaged or married. Actually, from those in my graduating class, only 4.9% (that I know of) are engaged or married. It just makes me wonder why take the relationship to the next step now?

I've never dated anyone up until college, so I might have a different understanding of love, but I realize that with patience comes love. Do not get me wrong, it makes my heart extremely happy when I see others happy and getting engaged.

What makes me baffled, however, is that although these couples get engaged, they are getting married within a year (or less) of their engagement. The real kicker here, though, is that they are only 20-21, still in college, or at critical times in their careers.

It makes me feel that if you want to get engaged then go ahead, but you can't extend your engagement for an extra year until you graduate school or start your dream career? If you and that person are meant to be, it shouldn't matter your relationship status because you two will be together for just as many years.

People I know that got married even say that being married is no different than dating someone, except that you are legally bound. It's simply a change in title, not a complete change in the relationship.

Although the price of a wedding has drastically increased, it is still my goal for my future husband and I to pay for most, if not all, of our wedding. I don't know the financial positions of others, and I don't want to assume things, but I've seen some pretty nice weddings when these couples are in college and are buying homes.

With all that going on PLUS a very nice wedding, it's hard to believe the couple paid for it all themselves. I'm sorry, but I want to pay for most of my wedding. I also would like to be old enough to legally toast with champagne at my wedding.

I've been friends with some amazing girls since we were in middle, and even elementary school. We've always had similar outlooks on marriage like this. We've always had dreams of going to college, starting our careers, and getting married at least a year after college. We want to have fun in college, develop our relationships, and find our footing for the real world.

Call us old-fashioned, but we believe it's crucial to build a relationship rather than getting engaged when you haven't been dating for even a year. Once we are financially, and emotionally stable in our relationships, it is then when we would take our relationship to the ultimate devotion: marriage.

This is just my stance on the position of marrying somewhat young, but I will always be happy for those who are overjoyed with their relationship. Just take the time to reflect on not only your life, but your relationship before jumping the gun on marriage. Marriage is a lifelong commitment and you want to make sure that you and your boyfriend/fiance are ready to make the ultimate commitment.