Hey society, I have something to say!

The face.

That’s my face when my Mom answered ‘I don’t know’ to Ninang's question ‘Does she have a boyfriend?’ Mom knows pretty well that I’m a single lady (so put your hands up!) so why would she say that?

Let’s count the reasons why.

(1)  The double standard that high school teenagers must not have a boyfriend YET, but in college they SHOULD have one.

(2)  A daughter without a boyfriend is not pretty. 

(3)  A good person would have someone to love her. You don’t have a lover? You must be a psychopath or something. Either that or you're ugly and fat. (I have to say, I scored high here.)

The amazing thing is, ladies are also pressured to have husbands before they turn 30. Beyond that and you have a slim chance of ever finding the love of your life. So my question is: why? Why is society so eager to pair up so-called soulmates to the point that some people settle?

Let’s count the reasons why.

(1)  Love is magical, when you find that someone you realize how incomplete you were from the beginning even when you’re pretty sure you were born with perfect limbs.

(2)  It’s scary to live alone from here on out.

(3)  You live as the loser who still resides with his/her parents and a dozen of cats without a hubby/wifey (Is that a thing? The wifey? I got red lines there).

(4)  According to romantic comedies and misinterpreted fairy tales, happily-ever-afters consist of kisses and weddings.

(5)  Kids are cute.

(6)  Species survival.

The last two I believe are the most logical reasons. The list is not exhaustive: go blame my grey matter and the fact that I experience society second-hand most of the time.

I just hate it. Even my father, after realizing that I can’t fry aubergine (Let me play pretend. Stop judging.) without running away from fright had this to say: I pity your husband. That’s also what he says whenever I can’t breathe without making whistling noises and inhaling in a pathetic manner: I pity the man who’s going to take care of you for the rest of your life.

Seriously, it’s like we signed a contract with inexistent (whoops) cupid or something. As a communication student, may we please use the Critical Theory? Why is this thinking dominant over living alone that the single ones have to suffer the same mockery from relatives, friends, and even teachers over and over and over? Here's what I have to tell you society: stop telling me what to do! Gah!