Every time I log onto Facebook, I see something about so-and-so getting pregnant. I’m only 20 years old and most of these people graduated around the same year I did. Pregnancy happens. I get that. Some people really are meant to be mothers and have children young. I’m not knocking any of that. If you’re a fit mother, have all the babies you want. All the power to you.

It’s just that most of the pregnant girls around my age I see aren’t fit to be mothers. They barely have an education, job, or any stability. They just don’t use protection because their boyfriend lied to them and said condoms cut off circulation and the pull-out method actually works.

I can’t even imagine having a child at my age. I go to school full time, work 30 hours a week, and do an internship. I don’t even have time to see my friends, let alone raise a child. At my age, we’re supposed to be living our lives, meeting new people, and having amazing experiences because we’re just reaching adulthood but not at the point where we have to settle down. I still have to have an internship at a publishing company in Los Angeles, travel to a foreign country at least once, live in a tiny apartment trying to be a journalist, and meet the love of my life. These are dreams that are a little far out there but are in reach because I don’t have a child holding me back.

I don’t want to never have kids. When I’m old enough and have done all that I can possibly do, I think I might want to have a couple. I even have the names picked out (Jayden, Elijah, Sophia). But not now. I look at these girls, my friends, who just forgot to use a condom and are now mothers with no jobs and I feel bad for them. I know they must love their child more than anything, but they’ll never have the opportunity to live out their dreams.

Maybe I’m completely wrong and being a mother is better than anything I could ever dream of, but I’ll wait until I’m older to find out.