Dating in College
By Abby Jablonski
May 2, 2023
Image Credit: Hunter Newton for Unsplash
Between balancing a course load, maintaining a social life, and joining on-campus organizations, dating can be difficult for college students.
Students at the University of Maryland share their take on dating and offer up some helpful advice.
Sophomore economics major Brendan McDowell is in a two-and-a-half year-long-distance relationship and stresses the importance of finding the right person.
“I think the most important piece of dating in college is to find someone who makes you a better person. Whether they motivate you to achieve your goals, provide stress relief, provide companionship and an escape from school, finding someone who makes you better at being you is the most important,” McDowell said.
However, finding the right person can feel like a struggle to some. It may even cause individuals to end up in a repetitive ‘situationship’ cycle.
A situationship is the stage when two individuals are more than friends but are less than significant others. Teaching fellow and mechanical engineering major Marlaina Horowitz believes situationships are not healthy.
“It [situationships] leads to bad communication a lot of the time and usually one person gets hurt or doesn’t actually want to be in that situation. Healthy love is communication and respect; it is very simple but hard to achieve. You should look for someone who is supportive at all times and doesn’t make you worry about what you do or say,” Horowitz said.
Being transparent and present in any kind of conversation is a big factor when it comes to making a relationship work and making it through the ‘situtationship’ phase , according to sophomore psychology major Maggie Kelly.
“Communication is crucial in making relationships last and staying healthy. Listening to your partner’s worries is also important in relationships because you should want to hear their opinion or be there for them,” Kelly said.
Being independent and having the ability to balance a relationship is something that individuals may struggle with. However, these factors are vital to keeping a relationship from becoming toxic.
“Making time for yourself allows you to become a better person for yourself and your partner. Spending time with friends is also really important because they will be there for you when times get hard,” Kelly said.
Building a relationship takes time, and college is one big learning experience. A relationship might feel like a necessity, but not everyone is ready to jump into something serious. A relationship can serve as a positive aspect of life if students are interested in dating.
Students at the University of Maryland share their take on dating and offer up some helpful advice.
Sophomore economics major Brendan McDowell is in a two-and-a-half year-long-distance relationship and stresses the importance of finding the right person.
“I think the most important piece of dating in college is to find someone who makes you a better person. Whether they motivate you to achieve your goals, provide stress relief, provide companionship and an escape from school, finding someone who makes you better at being you is the most important,” McDowell said.
However, finding the right person can feel like a struggle to some. It may even cause individuals to end up in a repetitive ‘situationship’ cycle.
A situationship is the stage when two individuals are more than friends but are less than significant others. Teaching fellow and mechanical engineering major Marlaina Horowitz believes situationships are not healthy.
“It [situationships] leads to bad communication a lot of the time and usually one person gets hurt or doesn’t actually want to be in that situation. Healthy love is communication and respect; it is very simple but hard to achieve. You should look for someone who is supportive at all times and doesn’t make you worry about what you do or say,” Horowitz said.
Being transparent and present in any kind of conversation is a big factor when it comes to making a relationship work and making it through the ‘situtationship’ phase , according to sophomore psychology major Maggie Kelly.
“Communication is crucial in making relationships last and staying healthy. Listening to your partner’s worries is also important in relationships because you should want to hear their opinion or be there for them,” Kelly said.
Being independent and having the ability to balance a relationship is something that individuals may struggle with. However, these factors are vital to keeping a relationship from becoming toxic.
“Making time for yourself allows you to become a better person for yourself and your partner. Spending time with friends is also really important because they will be there for you when times get hard,” Kelly said.
Building a relationship takes time, and college is one big learning experience. A relationship might feel like a necessity, but not everyone is ready to jump into something serious. A relationship can serve as a positive aspect of life if students are interested in dating.