College dating scene hurts

 

Guess what?

My friend told me that her friend told her that her sister’s friend said that there have been a lot of people walking around campus with broken hearts lately.

Why? Well, since you begged me, I guess I have to tell you.

She said it is because people are not setting or staying within the boundaries of their relationships, and I totally agree. Unlike high school, where talking on the phone every night  meant you were in a serious relationship, college relationships are a lot harder to develop and require much more effort.

But the key to maintaining a healthy relationship in college is knowing what type of relationship you are in and what exactly you want or potentially are going to get out of this interaction.

The most common type of college relationship seems to be the casual daters. These are people who definitely aren’t in love with each other yet, but want to know one another better. Casual daters normally go out on dates at least once a week, whether it involves hanging out at each other’s dorm or going to the movies.

Though casual dating can be a pleasant experience, it will only work out if both of you realize that it is only a temporary status. Eventually, someone is going to want to be more serious.

This brings me to the next and most secure form of dating: the couple.

These are the people who have most likely been in a monogamous relationship for a year or more, spend most of their time together and some even end in marriage. Monogamous relationships are often considered to be some of the most fulfilling forms of relationships.

Yet, there are two pitfalls that often occur in these serious bonds during college. The temptation to stray is stronger when there are tons of other good-looking college students around you every day, and it is easier to grow bored of each other in such a closed setting. Just remember these years are golden so make sure you’re sharing them with the right person.

But, perhaps, one of the most difficult relationships to understand and make boundaries for are the friendships that often become more.

These “relationships” that start off as friendships are frequently taken to the next level when one or both persons become attracted to the other.

However, these relationships are very dangerous for your heart, so make sure you know the consequences. I have often seen people who go into these relationships thinking they will eventually become something more and become heartbroken when fondness and intimacy often turn into disrespect and confusion, so enter with caution.

Well, that’s all that my friend could tell me right now and she told me to keep it a secret, so you didn’t hear this from me.

 

Brittany Wall is a junior journalism major from Jackson, Miss., and serves as news editor for The Tech Talk. E-mail comments to bgw003@latech.edu.