“My niece got married today, and I’m very happy for her because she found someone to share her life with. At the same time, I’m dreading the moment when all my aunties start asking when’s my turn. Some people think that 25-year-old girls like me are old and ought to get married, but I don’t think so.

I don’t necessarily feel pressured to settle down, but I do get annoyed when I’m asked questions about marriage. Truthfully, there are still so many things that I want to do, so it’s really none of their business when I get married.

What would I rather be doing? Well, I really want to go to Syria to teach actually. I’m a school teacher and I’m such a sucker for kids, so everything that’s happening there makes me really sad.

I know it sounds naive and not very realistic, especially since my parents will never let me go there, but I feel bad about not helping when I’m actually qualified to do so.

Anyways, I just wanted to say that everybody’s different. What other people want for you is not necessarily what you want for yourself. So you do you; you don’t have to listen to anyone else. YOLO!” – Nabilah, 25