By ALEXZANDRIA MARTINEZ
As my dramatic life progresses and another failed attempt to form a relationship results in the heartache of unrequited love, my sitting on the couch repeatedly watching “Dirty Dancing” days are questionable. Why should I care to create this deep bond, when I haven’t even figured out who I am yet?
As many before me, I’ve been told, “You will meet your love of your life in college.”
Today’s young people often succumb to the growing popularity of “hookup culture,” or in my case, guys being straight-up assholes.
There’s the difficulty of getting into a relationship, but it is also difficult to maintain one because of life’s stresses. In fact, it seems like most college students prefer to go on casual dates and not maintain any emotional connection than to be in a committed relationship.
Another factor is society’s pressure to be in love at a very young age. In a survey conducted by the Independent Women’s Forum, 63 percent of women in college hope to find their spouse in college.
As a young woman, I’ve experienced this pressure from social media, friends and family to settle down and start building a relationship because everyone else already is. On social media, there are constant pictures of couples, and almost everyone is my life is in a committed relationship. Couples constantly posting about their relationships on social media do create stress among people, including myself. It’s this never-ending series of questions of why I haven’t found anyone yet or why I haven’t just picked someone yet.
Believe me, as the biggest hopeless romantic, I’ve been pressured into this. It’s always me putting my heart out there to someone and him not reciprocating.
I truly believe that entering a relationship in college should be put off unless both people involved are actually serious with each other. After all, only about 28 percent of college students end up marrying their college boyfriend or girlfriend,” according to Facebook data sciences.
I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t date someone you’re interested in or bailing on another awkward Tinder date. I’m referring to those long-term relationships. Those relationships can take a toll on us mentally and physically. They can be for the better or for the absolute worst.
Most students in college are in their early stages of adulthood. We haven’t had the necessary experiences that we need to grow as individuals. Entering college is another part find of finding ourselves. Being selective on who you choose to be part of this stage of life is crucial.
Dating in college isn’t always the best place for entering relationships. After all, there’s a lot more to college than finding the “one.” There are experiences that aren’t romantic that can contribute to your success in college. You should focus on personal growth and long-term goals. What are you ultimately passionate about? What are your career goals?
While dating in college isn’t for everyone, it doesn’t mean you should be against it. Just be cautious before entering a relationship in college. Whoever is supposed to be in your life will come at the right time, whether it be in college or not.
So, go out with your friends, meet new people and enjoy the college life.