My curiosity with romance began as many young girls do: I wanted to be a Disney princess.

First it was Snow White. I would watch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs constantly, but I would always cover my eyes when the Evil Queen transformed herself into the hag.

Then I was obsessed with Sleeping Beauty. I would dress up in my most beautiful nightgown and lie in my bed , pretending to be in an enchanted sleep (until, of course, I realized that I didn’t actually want to take a nap).

Cinderella was a short-lived, yet an integral part of my childhood. When people said that I looked like her, I took it to heart.  I remember my grandmother sewed a Cinderella’s ball gown, made from this incredible silk and taffeta for me to wear on Halloween.

And don’t even get me started on The Little Mermaid! I’ll never forget the summer before first grade where I spent the majority of my days swimming in my hometown’s swimming pool in the hope that one day I would find a gleaming tail in replacement of my worthless legs.

What I didn’t realize, however, was that while all of these princesses had different back stories, there was one similarity that all of them eventually came to have: true love.

Prince Florian, Prince Philip, Prince Charming, and Prince Eric. Yes, all my favorite damsels in distress came along with hunky dream boats, usually accompanied with the happily ever after ending once the prince and princess share their “true love’s kiss”.

Typically, the period of time in which these power couples fell in love was extremely brief.  Snow White, for example, met Prince Florian one time before she ate the poisoned apple, kissed her man candy, and rode off together into a land of eternal bliss. In The Little Mermaid, Ursula the Sea Witch makes a deal with Ariel to make Prince Eric fall in love with her in three days time, as if it were a simple task!

Ironically, the time period in which these movies were made demonstrated the exact opposite interpretation of a successful courtship.  After successful attempts to flirt and talk with one another, a typical relationship ritual for teenagers in the 1950s started with a simple date.  If the date wasn’t completely awkward and there was a hint of intriguing conversations being shared, then there would usually be a series of more dates.  Finally- after 4 or 5 successful dates- the boy would ask the girl to “go steady”, or there was a commitment to one another that basically meant that they were seriously considering marriage in their near future.

I am a teenager of the 21st century, and I fear that this traditional display of affection is endangered.  Modern courtship is changing before our eyes.  When a guy likes a girl, making an effort to ask her out on a date has been replaced with activities such as “hanging out” and “hooking up.”  With the creation of cell phones and the internet, methods of communicating with your crush makes it not only easier to avoid embarrassment but also more confusing.  Just call to mind those moments when you got a text from your crush and you aren’t all that sure what it means (“Is he just being friendly? Or is he hinting for something more?”).

I understand this new-found appeal to flying solo.  I’ve talked to many people who enjoy being single merely for the simplicity.  Instead of fretting over boys, they can focus their attention on passing that history test, forming a better relationship with their sister, acing that piano solo, or playing a sport.  Furthermore, they enjoy the fact that they don’t have to expect that tearful breakup that occasionally emerges from a high school romance.

But I think it’s safe to say that even the most independent girls have those occasional nights- sometimes after watching Titanic and eating ice cream by yourself on Valentine’s Day- where being single starts to get lonely .

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t see anything wrong with being a single lady- I for one have been one my entire life- but it has to be for the right reason.  If you feel comfortable being by yourself, there is no need for anyone to tell you that you need to be in a relationship.

For my single ladies who do want to be in a relationship, however, I urge you not to fall for the “he’ll-make-the-move-first” mentality.  Since the time we started watching our favorite princesses on screen, we have been taught that our own Prince Charming will present himself when the time is right.

It’s a new world, girls. It’s time to take action.  If you want to go out with the cutie you met at the Notre Dame basketball game, ask him! If you’re starting to have feelings for your best guy friend but you’re afraid of how he’d react, go for it anyway! It’s true that being single and independent promotes self esteem, but so is being assertive and going for what you want!

All in all, we go to Regina to become intelligent young women, and part of growing up requires experiencing it with others.  This includes our friends, family, and significant others. If we continue to support this anti-dating ideal, we are closing ourselves off to the beautiful opportunity to develop a true connection with someone.

Trust me ladies, in the lyrics of Snow White, someday your prince will come – but that doesn’t mean he is saving us – far from it!

In order to find him, we can’t expect him to come to our rescue. It all starts with us girls creating our own happily ever after.