Think you're running out of time to find and marry your soul mate?

If so, then I'm tired of listening to you. You panic because you haven't yet seriously connected with that special someone and graduation is approaching. After all, the 19,168 women (or 22,121 men) that make up about half of University Park's population won't be around once you move to Sheboygan, Michigan.

I'm writing to tell you to relax already.

It's hardly as easy as the media depicts to meet someone at college. For example, those who think they will meet their wives or husbands in class assume that there are prospective wives or husbands in all those classes. Last fall, I took four classes, which were -- in total -- attended by 180 men and seven women.

Perhaps extracurricular activities, such as the swing-dancing club, are a better opportunity. Oops -- I forgot there are twice as many males as females there, too. Or maybe I should just walk up to that woman I see glancing at me over and over at Mio Zio. Nope, she was just checking to "see if the fireplace had gone out." Funny how it wasn't in her line of sight.

"OK," I say, "going to parties is a great way to meet people" -- that is, if you drink more than moderately. Unlike many of these socialites, I've never been attracted to people who wake up the next morning wondering where their cars are.

Thus, I've concluded that perhaps college isn't the greatest place to meet soul mates after all. Despite my impressive streak of 12 consecutive rejections, I greatly look forward to graduation, which I know is exactly 263 days away.

Why? For one, I'll actually have the time to meet people. My status as a graduate student isn't particularly amenable to the idea of free time. If I work 60 hours a week now, and 40 when I get a full time job, that leaves 20 extra hours, long enough for four five-hour dates each week. And a lot of first dates don't last five hours.

And, of course, I'll have the money to spend on those dates. Now, even the hardest working college student is hindered by a lack of funds.

One of my friends, during his junior year, married at age 20. Others are cohabiting with the intention of marrying later this year. They currently spend all their time with their significant others. Sure, they'll get married, and they'll be happy for a few months, but then what? They spent little or no time during college establishing non-romantic friends, planning their career paths, becoming involved in the community or even developing solitary hobbies. Why do you think cohabitants are more likely to divorce than people who wait until after marriage to live together?

Some predict today's students will live past 100. What's the rush? Why spend 20 years single and 80 years married?

No, I'm not in any hurry at all to start a long-term relationship, and you shouldn't be either. There's a lot to do out there. Visit Hawaii like you've always wanted to. Go skydiving. Start the next eBay. Be happy by yourself, even if you don't ever date anyone again.

Despite all that, if you still want to marry as soon as possible, then graduation isn't Armageddon. If you put yourself out there, your chances of meeting someone are just as good as they were in college. Don't tell me that working in a city or even in a small town doesn't expose you to lots of people every day, perhaps even more than you would meet here. Even if there aren't as many people, it only takes one.

If you're still not convinced, then you better get started with all those choices. You still have 19,168 (or 22,121) dates to go. The clock is ticking.