Umm, if you were dating for 8 years and were older, I''d be on the dump him band wagon... if YOU WANTED to get married the whole time and were WAITING on HIM.
BUT, your situation is different. Being 15 when you start dating and now, 20''s, you are a different person... I think it is good to wait, and grow together, and honestly see if the person you fell in love w/ and you, have GROWN in the SAME directions.
I know my BF when I was 17 and I would be DIVORCED if we married. But that is because we grew in 2 totally different directions. That and he was seriously Pi$$ed at me when I dumped him by saying, "What, I didn''t see myself marrying the guy I lost my virginity to. Did you?" Based on his reaction, I guess he thought that was what he was thinking, and was sad. I guess I was young and watched too much TV. That, and I''ve always had a set of brass ba!!s. I went on to do some comedy, and he is becoming a Rabbi. We would NOT have made it.
Don''t let it bother you. I wouldn''t. See your vent is about, OTHER PEOPLE SUCKING, not your SO. That speaks volumes... and the POV it was coming from, I would side with your friend and think she is correct.
Now your statement about dating people 6mos-1 years and getting married. Well I would agree that is kinda fast. But my opinion on that is, well, once you are older, you are more sure of yourself, what you want out of life, and your partner tends to know themselves more too. Plus when two people who are actively LOOKING for a spouse in all the relationships they start, don''t take as long. It only took me 6 months to know I wanted to marry my DH, and I was the person who just never saw myself getting married. But I wanted to spend more time... to make sure we had something solid. I never changed my mind.
On the other hand, My BFF signed up on Yahoo, met a guy, and she was moving in with him in 4 months, and wanting a ring 2 months later. I felt that was at warp speed. But it worked for them.
Now 5+ years for me, is like an eternity... but, well... I''m a little older than 25...
, that just happens to be the LAST birthday I have ever celebrated... so I''m not getting any older.
I just couldn''t wait that long, because well... for me... when I know what I want, I go for it. It is just, when you are certain, why not be impulsive. ??? That, and, I ALWAYS get what I want.