Engaged and Underage: Student Engagements on the Rise

It seems every time I log into Facebook, another one of my sorority sisters is engaged. Maybe I missed this trend, but it seems that more and more college undergraduate students are walking around campus with huge diamonds on their left ring fingers.
Studies have shown that over the last 20 years it seemed that most heterosexual American couples got engaged between the ages of 24-28 and since 2010 the average age has dropped to 22-26. An interesting comparison: during the 1960s and 1970s the average age was 18-24, proving the time-old tale of every trend skips a generation.
With many students being high school sweethearts, some parents are worried their children are settling down too fast without seeing what other fish are in the sea. But their concerns are not universal nor necessarily reflect the opinions of those who actually are engaged.
“My fiancé Travis and I were high school sweethearts but I’m not worried about the fact that we haven’t dated many people. Why break up and sacrifice something great just to go “see what’s out there”? If you’re happy, why change it? At the beginning of any relationship, love is a feeling. When you decide to get married, love continues to be a feeling but also becomes a choice,” said Takara Anderson, University of Central Florida.
Once the wedding planning starts, brides-to-be are finding that marriage evolves a host of new responsibilities such as the expense of two people’s cost of living as opposed to one. Especially since many students are still dependent financially on their parents. So beware giddy, blushing brides, while your parents may be willing to help you out as best they can financially, you might find that you are gaining a husband, they’re not adopting a son; nor do they have to undertake the cost and burden of a new family member.
But lets get real, the worry about the future is definitely taking a back burner to the excitement and thought of getting married for most students.
“It’s great knowing I found my future husband at a young age so we can spend the rest of our lives together,” said Emily Ratner, University of Delaware.
Congratulations and best wishes to all of you out there who have found your soul mates already, and if anyone is interested in marrying me, feel free to comment below!