I recently started thinking about relationships and timelines after being inspired by early 90s and 2000s TV shows, movies and the nostalgic era of middle school crushes and puppy love.

I honed in on what happens to the population of the world who have yet to indulge in society’s mystical relationship habits.

Being in college, you either get two kinds of people—those exploring themselves, their sexuality and opportunities, or someone with a long-term committed relationship, leaving with no idea of what it’s like to be alone in life.

But what about secret option number three, the person who is open to the idea of relationships but somehow hasn’t experienced anything in the genre?

I’d like to go back to the first time I got introduced to the timeline of a “relationship.” I use the word relationship loosely because I am referring to the developmental best years of anyone’s life, middle school.

When you go out with someone, the standard is to talk and get to know each other for about three months, and then you can finally ask someone to be your girlfriend or boyfriend. If that didn’t work out, you’d move on to the next and reduce, reuse and recycle the whole adventure.

These experiences set the tone for what I believed everyone my age should always be doing, considering relationships.

Thank God for college, words you never hear. It was like a culture shock. I met so many different people who frankly had not experienced anything remotely romantic in their lives.

Henceforth, I would like to introduce the idea of late-blooming. The standard meet-cute, cute first date, second date, moving on this unspoken societal timeline takes away from the reality you have.

Who says you have to sleep with someone after two weeks of dating? Who says the first kiss has to be a second date goal? Can you imagine how boring dating is when everyone’s operating on the same schedule?

The possibility that a person might have experienced all the anticipated milestones by the time you’re a freshman or sophomore in college completely distorts the magic of a relationship.

It’s also a little derogatory and elementary to continue to push a narrative on a subjective concept of dating.

All in all, I would say, late blooming is in. I’m not sure about you, but I will take as much time as I need to fully involve myself with someone intimately. I hope you consider the meaning of late-blooming next time someone suggests you aren’t moving to their idea of appropriate relationship speed.

Blair Bernard is a 21-year-old theater performance major from Lafayette, La.