My philosophy on love and marriage after college

I attended a small Christian liberal arts school where the phrase "ring by spring or your money back" is popularly used. Students and faculty also joke about women attending the school to earn their MRS degree. In fact, the number of couples that get engaged by the end of their college careers is astounding. I cannot remember returning from a single break where I did not hear of someone getting engaged. I am not saying that these relationships are not legitimate, and I am not saying that these relationships will not last in the long run. What I am saying is that these individuals may have different intentions to marry than they may think they have.

Ending my school career is the most unstable event I have ever experienced. I do not know what I am going to do next, and I do not have a boyfriend to share these experiences with. Which leads me to my point, couples who get married right out of college are able to hold on to one stable entity for their future lives. Although they may not know what they are going to do in the long run, they have someone to figure that out with, and no matter what happens, that person will consistently be present. So, my philosophy on marriage directly after college is that it is a stabilizing tactic. It is the one thing people can be sure about upon exiting the bubble and entering the real world.

That being said, I have a fear of entering a relationship at this point of my life. If I decide to date a guy within the next several months, that will become my excuse to live in a certain place, and to perform a specific job. It is almost as if I would be grasping for something certain, something stable. I do not think that those are the right reasons to love someone even if they would be a nice bonus. I want to find a guy after I have sort of established myself in a specific place or at least when I know what I am seeking.