When you cross the age of 25 in this part of the world, getting married automatically becomes an expectation of you from people who should care less about your marital status or what you choose to do with your personal life. You being hungry or well fed is less of a concern to these set of humans. All they care about is reminding you of how important it is to continue your family’s lineage (if you are a man) or how your biological clock has started ticking too fast (if you are a woman).

Some of us let this pressure to get married get to us, thereby pushing us, sometimes, into settling with the wrong partner. Getting married and staying married should be the goal and for this goal to be achieved, choosing the right partner is highly imperative.

So if you are 25 and above and not married, here are five tips to help you handle the pressure;

Own it

The only fact here is that you are not married. You are not a criminal. You are simply unmarried – single! If you get angry at a factual remark every time someone makes it, then you are probably still living in denial. Own your status.

Look at it from an angle of concern

Agreed that some of these good intention questioners are just plain silly amebos trying to make jest of you or get inside gist but also note that most of them are genuine from their own point of view. Think of it as their own way of showing you they care and simply ignore them.

Know what you want.

Being single is an opportunity to better yourself. It is not a time to feel pity for your existence or waste your years. Know what you want and why you are single. Own it, work on it, live it and be proud of who you are. Do not sway under pressure.

It is not a Race.

Nothing in life is a race, not even marriage. Do your own make I do my own. It is about what makes you happy and what you are comfortable with. Marrying the wrong person can have a toll on your life. You are better off taking your time and going at a pace you are comfortable with.

Stay away from people who do not respect your decisions

If your friends really like you, they must respect your decision. If you are surrounded with friends who will always tell you ‘ah, do quick, you don’t have time again’, then you need to change the people you hang around. Nobody should be with people who are trying to get them to do something they are not ready to do.