For this week’s issue we decided to discuss relationships.

I have found the timing in this to be ironic considering that my sociology class has just begun a unit on the various types of relationships in the world.

This new chapter that my class is learning got me thinking about the different types of relationships out there.

When you think about it, there are dozens of kinds ranging from monogamous ones, to a new kind I have discovered in which women choose more than one man to marry called polyandry.

While these relationships are all interesting, I feel like there is one relationship status that people tend to disregard when discussing their relationship status. That is being single.

In an article written by Eric Klinenberg for CNNmoney.com, 57 University of Michigan psychology professors Joseph Veroff, Elizabeth Douvan and Richard Kulka in 1957examined American attitudes toward being single during that time period.

The results found that 80 percent of those who were surveyed believed that people who preferred being single or unmarried were “sick,” “immoral” or “neurotic.”

In the 50s, psychologists found that of the American population, 70 percent of adults were married.
Today, only 51 percent of adults are married and 40 percent of households in the United States consist of only one person. In European cities like, London and Paris, the percentages are even higher at 60 percent.

The trend of suddenly being alone is becoming a popular relationship choice all around the world.
Time magazine writer, Maia Szalaitz wrote that people who assume their relationship will not change are prone to idealize the relationship status they are in.

I think that this makes perfect sense when determining someone’s relationship status.

In the past the goal was to gain some sort of education, and keep in mind that form of education was different depending on whether you were a man or a woman, then date said man or woman for a while, then get in engaged, then BAM, marriage and a baby.

In today’s society people are taking the single route for a while and are waiting to tie the knot.
I think that this is a good thing.

We need to really evaluate the person with whom we suspect we will spend the rest of our lives. According to Sara Stringer, a writer from Americanthinker.com, the divorce rate in the U.S. continues be above 50 percent.

That is startling to me.

That is either do or die. No one really wants to be divorced, but in order to avoid this I think we really need to make sure we are positive we are marrying Mr. Right or Mrs.

Now, some people may argue, you can never really know.

I think that you can take precautions.

One, I plan to date a guy for a while before even thinking about an engagement. When I say a while, I mean like at least two years.

I also want to live with that guy to make sure that I can actually live with that guy before death do us part.

I think that a lot of people can rush into relationships or marriages and then that is their downfall.
Some of the best things in life take time to find and there is nothing wrong with enjoying the ride alone until you find your happy ending.

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