For some, getting married and finding a partner is part of their life-long dream. Building houses, traveling with your partner, and random date nights are usually the things that movies and dramas have shown us about married life.

Little did we know, there was a lot more to that. There will be highs and lows in one’s marriage life. It wouldn’t be all joy and smiles. That is why one should reassess whether he or she is ready enough for marriage, especially when getting married in their 20s.

Here are some reasons why getting married in your 20s is risky:

1. You might not be financially capable yet

Getting married is a privilege. From engagement, planning, the wedding itself, and life after the wedding, all require you to spend and budget your money well. With the inflation that we are experiencing today, it surely wouldn’t be easy. House necessities, transportation expenses, and house bills are some of the expenses you have to think of every single day. And when you decide to have a family, your kids’ necessities and school expenses will be part of the list.

With the things that were mentioned, one should understand that getting married isn’t as simple as buying your favorite t-shirt or buying your favorite iced coffee. Expenses will surely be a headache. That’s why you should first check your financial capability and capacity to see if you can sustain the life of a married man.

2. Married life will test your emotional and mental maturity

There are some cases where both individuals in a relationship are financially capable of getting married. They can stand alone without asking for help from their parents. However, you should understand that it’s not all about finances. Yes, being financially capable is one of the things that one should check before getting married. But so is one’s emotional and mental maturity.

In a study conducted by the Scottish Sentencing Council, the research “The development of cognitive and emotional maturity in adolescents and its relevance in judicial contexts” suggests that during the age of 25-30, a human’s brain is in its active development phase. At this stage, emotions are overactive and immaturity is present in one’s cognitive regions, resulting in trouble thinking in a rational way before making complex decisions.

Thus, getting married in your early 20s might just be one of the most rushed and out-of-emotional decisions that you have made. Evaluating one’s emotional and mental maturity will contribute to a healthy relationship. If one isn’t emotionally and mentally prepared, then there is a possibility that your marriage will be all about hardships and fights.

3. You might miss the fun in your youth

Hanging out with your friends, drinking out, attending parties, and exploring the world are some of the things that you might miss if you get married too soon.

When you are already married, you have no choice but to shift your priorities from a self-centered to a family-oriented one. This may include you stopping all of these just to fulfill your parental responsibilities.

Being in your 20s stimulates the fun and excitement that you have in you. This might just be the time that you can do all those things while thinking only about yourself. And when you get married, do you miss all of these? It may just result in fights and misunderstandings with your partner.

4. Your dreams may be on hold

All of us may not be achievers, but all of us are dreamers.

When you decide to get married in your 20s, your dreams may be on hold. Although everyone has a different timeline, it is best to achieve your dreams first before moving on to the next stage of your life. Especially since some professions are very strict with their age requirements.

Misunderstandings will also be avoided as you won’t be able to think that your partner and your marriage have stopped you from achieving your dreams.

When you do that, it will be fulfilling for you as you move on to the next chapter. You will be able to live the life that you have ever dreamt of without numerous what ifs.

5. Yet you may not know your partner really well

There are some marriages that come from a one or two-year relationship. Although it does not dictate whether a marriage will be good or bad, it gives you time to get to know your partner even better as a person and as a partner in life.

In your relationship, you may encounter different people, situations, and problems that reveal your partner’s real personality and character. During this time, you may assess whether or not you still want to be with that person for the rest of your life.

Going into marriage in your 20s might put you into a draining married life when you didn’t get time to get to know your partner really well. We wouldn’t know if he/she might be putting his/her best foot forward during your relationship.

Timelines among every single individual will always differ, whether it be a simple one or not. What is certain is that every single person should always think rationally and give themselves time to think before jumping into a decision that is life-changing. Asking for guidance from your parents and advice from your friends and mentors is a must!