Some colleges and universities set their students up for success in both their professional and personal life. My college, Ursinus, is one of these schools – but for a reason you may not expect. Ursinus recently made the Guinness Book of World Records for recording the most marriages among active students at a college or university.
Despite the fact that I attended a marriage-happy college, and dated someone during my time there, I am not part of this lovely statistic. And while I do feel bad about not contributing to this impressive statistic, I don’t regret being in a college relationship. This is because there are both pros and cons to every relationship (even the ones that don’t work out). To prove my point, here is a list of the pros and cons of a college relationship.
Pros:
- You have someone to consistently go home to (in a sense). My college boyfriend and I used to go out with our friends because we felt that was healthy. We’d then meet up after going out to spend the night together (I know what you’re thinking–but trust me, it wasn’t like that). Sometimes in college, your workout, eating, sleeping and showering schedule are inconsistent, so some consistency in your schedule can be refreshing.
- You have someone to look out for you. If I wasn’t dating someone at the time of my 21st birthday, I honestly think I would’ve died. I returned from the bar with my friends, and luckily went to my college boyfriend’s room instead of my own. Consequently, when I got sick, someone was there to take care of me. Since it’s pretty common to have some nights in college where you don’t know your limits, it’s beneficial to have someone there to help you recover, or just, hold back your hair when you puke.
- You’ll have someone who’s crazy enough (or just crazy in love) to pull all nighters with you. My college boyfriend used to keep me comfort in the art studio, as I’d hack away at some time-consuming project for Sculpture class. When you’re tired and under pressure to get something done on time, it’s nice to have someone there with you, especially when they’re willing to order a late night pizza.
- You can experience some of the best years of your life together. My college boyfriend and I were both on the Track and Field team, so we got to experience the excitement of being champions together. In addition to that, there is a tradition at our college that consists of seniors sliding down “the fountain” naked the night before graduation (I know it sounds weird and sorry dad – I know you’re reading this). We both were able to experience the thrill of doing something inappropriate while we were still young and while it was still (sort of) acceptable.
Cons:
- You might be held back/tied down. You finally get the freedom to do whatever you want in college, and a relationship could restrict or limit that. I know people who were restricted from meeting new people and going out due to jealous partners.
- You can’t be selfish. Relationships require selflessness and giving. Your college years are supposed to be the years in which you focus on yourself, and thus a college relationship can be difficult to maintain.
- You’ll get hit on more. Despite the misconceptions, more college guys will creep on you. It’s almost as if they like the challenge and find “off-limits” to be appealing.
- You might not live near one another. People attend college from all over. So while it might be convenient to date someone from your college during your time there, it might be difficult to sustain the relationship during the summer, winter break, or even life-after college.
- You might not be able to focus on your studies. Drama and fights in college can interfere with your studies, just like drama and fights in adulthood can get in the way of your work.
Regardless of what others might say, it is evident that there are not just disadvantages of being in a college relationship, but also benefits. With that being said, I strongly suggest trying out that college relationship that you’ve always second guessed. You will be surprised by how much you will learn and take away from it, as well as how little you regret it in the end.
*Section Photo credit to G.H. Photography; Featured Photo (above) credit to Emilie Inc.
