I've just finished my first week in the Political Science Graduate studies classes at the University of Utah. Scary because I am feeling rather pale in comparison to the PhD candidates and elder members of my PoliSci program. I'm in a unique position as a young 21 year old grad student fresh out of my Undergrad program, starting an unpaid internship and living in a brand new city that has a subtle tendency to pressure young adults to "settle and procreate." Never have I been in an environment that caters so impressively to young adults looking for a mate, and so seamless is their agenda, that after only a month or so of being here, I find myself feeling inadequate without the consolation of a date. I am by far the youngest in my graduate program, not to mention the most available. The two other girls I've spoken with, both 23, are married and have been for a year. Not that it's entirely relevant, but I feel that there is some innate connection between high stress positions, ie: fast track to intensive grad school programs, and or jobs, and marriage. It makes sense, but of course is not entirely common, to get married in order to get through all those tough times as a young adult starting a career. I must admit, it would be nice to have a mate to share my stresses with, but what ever happened to the good old fashioned do-it-yourself mentality? This may not indeed be the case, but it seems to me that some young people turn to marriage as a coping mechanism for their increasingly stressful and busy lives. I have yet to decide, however, if this is necessarily a bad thing, because as it is, I would rather enjoy sharing my stresses with another so as to simultaneously decompress and reencourage in each other the confidence it takes to get up and participate in the next stressful day as a young professional.
