What is the right time for a graduating senior to get married

There is no ideal time for a graduating senior to get married. Only you and your partner know when it's right, no one else.
Marriage is more than just a ring and a piece of paper. It's a promise, a vow that you're committed to one another and no one else until the end of your days. Sure it's a vow that can and has been easily broken but it's there nonetheless. Without it, it's too easy for someone to just pick up and move on.

People get married for a number of reasons. Some do it for children, some do it for security, some do it for sex, some do it for commitment and some do it for money. And yes, some do it for love. But I think the best reason why people get married is for companionship, to have someone to share your experiences with and through whom you can share their experiences, to grow old with, to take care and be there for one another. Life can be lonely, so having a person who loves you enough to commit to spending their one and only life with you is very important and can be deeply moving. It's for support when times get tough and to have someone to celebrate with when things go well. Companionship in a marriage simply means having someone to share all the joys and pains in life. Sure you can do that with someone who you're not married to, but the commitment to each other means a lot. The commitment means you are dedicated to your partner and only your partner. It says hands off to other people because you are off the market.

The decision to get married and the timing depend on several issues, there's emotional commitment, security and protection, financial preparation and societal status. I think one should get married when they are absolutely certain that no one makes you as happy as your partner. You could find that person at any age. There are no set rules. Just make sure you both are on the same page and when that happens, pop the question.

As a graduating senior, I will soon start considering marriage amongst other things to deal with after graduation. Yes, the thought brings excitement and fear at times. I constantly think about losing my individuality even though many people tell me I can be myself and still be a married man. However, I've learned that getting married when ready is a good idea. Once you've realized your goals and have matured, then it's safe to bring in someone else who is going to support you completely. My mother married my father in her mid-20s, and they just celebrated their 25th anniversary. That seems to be a long marriage these days, but I think it lasted because they had their priorities straight and recognized by one another.

When then is the right time to get married? Is there an ideal time? 

When should you move from dating to being husband and wife? Every relationship is different. Every couple has different dynamics. You should get married when you feel the time is right. Not the society, not your family, you. You should get married when:

You are totally, madly, completely, head over heels in love. Not one-sided, only when it is reciprocated. You feel she is the one. There is no one better than her for you. No one gets you like she does. You feel you’ve been in the dating circle long enough and if you let her go, you’d be the biggest loser on earth.

As a graduating senior, you are mature enough to understand what marriage really means. When you are in love and ready for commitment. When you are responsible enough to take care of another person, support her financially, and emotionally. You should understand that it is a big move and would mean sharing your life with someone till the day you die. 

You are in a real relationship where both of you are level-headed people, who respect each other. You have arguments and fights, but you deal with them like adults, talk it out, not jump up and down like six-year olds. You know disagreements are part of your life. There’s no running away. You are a team. No one is superior to the other. You’re honest and open with each other and share everything, all your dreams and insecurities, and even your failures. 

When you feel you’re ready. You have waited long enough. You’re settled in your life and work. You know your goals and aspirations. You know what is to have a family, have a child. You’re not driven by societal or family pressures, or the fact that you’re aging quickly. You have come to this decision based on your feelings and thoughts.

Marriage should not be entered in lightly, but we do so often anymore. Its best you wait for the right time. But if you are going to wait for the right time; do not wait for too long; the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.