Have you ever noticed how many young elementary school teachers are already married? You may not have noticed it when you were in elementary school yourself, but if you now have elementary-aged kids, you may have — it’s definitely a thing.

@allycattattack

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One recent graduate shared a video to TikTok from her elementary education graduation showcasing the fact that six of her fellow graduates are already engaged. Several more recently engaged elementary education majors and teachers also chimed in in the comments, confirming for everyone that this phenomenon is indeed real.

Several commenters wanted to understand why, and others put forward some theories. One woman wrote, “I’ve convinced myself that this is because most elementary teachers have golden retriever energy and are just super sweet,” while a person in the replies boiled it down to a more straightforward potential truth: “Men like women who like kids.” Another commenter suggested that it was because “they be gentle parenting their mans”; several others thought it was because teachers don’t make enough on their own and need a second income to live comfortably, which is a depressing state of affairs.

Realistically, it’s most likely the simple fact that women who opt to become elementary school teachers tend to like kids and most likely want their own, leading them to start settling down earlier than someone who isn’t prioritizing those things.

My heart goes out to one commenter in particular, though, who could not meet this impossible standard: “I was an education major, this is why I had to switch my major because I didn’t meet the requirement of being engaged.”

Maybe she can befriend the girl in the comments who wrote, “I’m an engineering major and I think I’m just going to die alone.” Those of us with degrees that don’t come with engagement rings need to band together — and maybe unionize?