Back when I was in college, I always stressed out about dating. I believed that I absolutely needed to have a girlfriend before Christmas because the holidays are the time of year that you spend with a woman you love. Same thing with New Year’s. And don’t get me started on Valentine’s Day.

None of that helped, though. It just made dating much more stressful for me. If I could go back in time and give some advice to my younger self, I’d tell myself not to take it so seriously.

Dating is supposed to be fun. If you’re finding the whole thing to be a little bit too stressful, maybe it’s time to take a little break from it. There are no deadlines that you need to hit when it comes to finding love. Take some time and go work on yourself. Read a book. Watch your favorite TV. Work on your hobbies. Meet some new people.

Go enjoy yourself! When you’re living a life that you enjoy, dating becomes a lot less stressful and a lot more fun. I promise that the women of this world will still be here when you are ready.