Pros and Cons of Getting Married Young
I got married when I was 18 years old, without much of any knowledge of what life would be like as an adult. I lived a pretty sheltered life as a child, and I ended up marrying the very first man I dated. No lie. While some people thought I may have gone through all of this a little too quickly, I wouldn't take back a single experience I got from it. Nevertheless, I learned the good and bad of being married young firsthand, so I thought it may be nice to share my experience with other people looking to jump into this kind of commitment at a young age. Listed below are the pros and cons of getting married young that I had to learn the hard way.
The Pros of Getting Married at a Young Age
The biggest advantage that comes with marriage is the fact that you always have someone to talk to. This is true at any age. Marriage provides a constant support system for you to fall back on, and it gives you someone to share the details of your life with. Some people date compulsively because they do not like the idea of being alone for the rest of their lives. When you're married, you never have to worry about that.
There are some financial benefits that come along with marriage – tax breaks, cheap insurance, etc. More importantly though, you get the benefit of not having to search for someone to be with. The dating process can be exciting and fun at first, but it loses its spark over time. Then you are left worried about looking like a slut or a perv because you have dated a lot of people in your life. With marriage, you don't have to look around anymore.
The Cons of Getting Married at a Young Age
Marriage comes with a lot of pressure, more than most people can handle. You no longer have the ability to just "break up" if you don't like your spouse. You have to work out your problems, no matter how hard they may be at the time. This causes a lot of young people to cheat on their spouses because they think that life with someone else is going to be easier than the life they currently lead. This is not the case though. Every marriage is going to involve stress, and that is something you have to prepare for at any age. The sooner you know that, the better off you will be.
Another problem with being married is that you will no longer have the chance to party whenever you want to. This is one of the biggest problems I had because I wanted to be a social butterfly and flirt with everyone that came my way. As a wife though, I couldn't do that. It is something I eventually got over, but you have to plan for that if you want to get married. You can still go out, but you won't be able to play the field. Only you can determine if that is a good idea for you.
Conclusion
A lot of young couples do not make it through marriage because they can't handle the pressure. Those that can get to enjoy the benefit of having a true companion with them at all times. My husband and I got married when we were 18, and we're still together four years later. He's my best friend, and I literally can't see my life without him. Not everyone is as lucky as we are. Before you rush into marriage at a young age, make sure you are ready for it. There is nothing wrong with waiting until you get out of Saint Leo University. If you think things out thoroughly enough, you should be able to come up with the right solution for your life.