OPINION + FREE-FOR-ALL » WE HEAR FROM YOU Text your #FFA submissions to 785-289-UDK1 (8351) I finally understand why everyone in this town blares music with the windows down: running the AC is just too damn expensive. 07 Say no to man buns and ombres. It's old news. You know you're a hypochondriac when you look up all the symptoms of hypochondria on Web MD and have THEM ALL! #true #realtalk "I can't eat another doughnut!" As I grab another doughnut. Robinson has a cockroach problem? This whole damn campus has a cockroach problem! I find the "L" gesture way more offensive than the finger. What species of fish has no stomach and has to continuously eat to survive? Goldfish! #Tanked Read more at kansan.com KANSAN.COM Find happiness alone before seeking a relationship. Tyler Schuckman @TSchuckman_BK Love can be described as merely a biological response to physical attraction, mixed with interest in another individual's personality. It can be the greatest feeling ever, but it's often coupled with the looming threat of potential heartbreak. Romantic relationships require vulnerability, which terrifies many people. But to truly take the emotional leap to open ourselves up and become vulnerable to another human being, we must first be happy on our own. If you are happy alone, you are going into relationships looking to add to your life — not If you are incapable of being happy by yourself, it is selfish to make an attempt at a romantic relationship. A relationship should not be your security blanket. It should not be the ultimate deciding factor in whether or not you are happy; it should merely add to your happiness. Being single often gets a bad rap. Many people presume being single equates to being alone and not by choice, either. An individual who happens to be single isn't automatically a sad person. Being single at some points throughout life is important for self growth. When stress and the rollercoaster of life becomes insurmountable, you have to ultimately examine yourself and improve — something that is not often done when in a relationship with someone you can emotionally lean on. I am not a cynic, nor am I denouncing the idea of the emotional connection of love.I simply consider myself a realist. A relationship is not about having your movie moment or the perfect person. attempting to fill a void. At one time I was on board with the idealism of finding true love or a soulmate — the idea of an instant spark that turned everything upside down; a "riding off into the sunset" scenario. With a few girls and moments in my life, I've tried to convince myself that she might be "the one"; and although truth may sometimes be stranger than fiction, it rarely follows the same narrative. Whether it is having to endure the pain of unrequited love, putting trust into someone only to be cheated on, or the reality that you were just not compatible, relationships can be unpredictable and hurtful, especially when forced out of fear of being alone. Being alone is healthy. It forces individuals to reflect on themselves and look within for their own happiness. Oftentimes, people would rather not face the silence of themselves — those quiet moments alone when you can't fill time with people and the sobering light it can shine on one's insecurities and neuroses about themselves. But that is what most people need; to be in those moments of sadness or heartbreak. It can be scary, but being alone enlightens you to truths about yourself, what you don't like about yourself or why you rarely allow yourself be alone. Our pursuit for our "other half" ends in disappointment a majority of the time, simply because many people aren't truly comfortable with their first halves. If heartbreak does find you, take the breakup and pain as motivation to examine yourself and grow from the pain you feel. Learn to enjoy your own company, that way another person adds to your happiness instead of merely filling time with another individual. Learn to not depend on others for your happiness, but depend on yourself. If the concept of love is truly a reality, it should not be a crutch for your own weaknesses but a platform to make another's life more vibrant and colorful. Tyler Schuckman is a junior from Wichita studying sociology. @UNIVERSITY DAILYKANSAN @KANSANNEWS /THEKANSAN HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR LETTER GUIDELINES. Send letters to editor/akansan.com. Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the email subject line. Length: 300 words The submission should include the author's name, year, major and hometown. Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansan.com/site/letters.html. CONTACT US Mackenzie Clark Editor-in-chief macclair@kansan.com 785-864-4552 Eric Bowman Eric Bowman Business manager ebowman@kansan.com 785-864-4358 THE KANSAN EDITORIAL BOARD Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Mackenzie Clark, Kate Miller, Eric Bowman and Anissa Fritz. +