Relationships are one of the most constantly changing entities in college today. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed, it’s that relationships aren’t static, because they vary from place to place and within each social group. Speaking from the male side of the argument, being in a relationship in college can mean one of three things: 1.) I’m in a standard committed relationship in which I plan to set my sights on the future because I see the benefits in settling down with one person, and therefore I’m making a conscious effort to grow up; 2.) Things are complicated. I’m involved with someone from either high school or freshman year of college, and although we aren’t exclusive to one another, we still can’t seem to quit each other. We’ll never admit this, but the biggest reason we’re still “together” is because the sex is too good to pass up; 3.) I am Whipped and I literally have no say in what happens next because this girl grew up never hearing the word ‘no’ and she’s expecting me to stay with her whether I like it or not. Help me before she gets any ideas from one of her deranged single girlfriends who hate me because they know I want to get out of this nightmare.
Either way you toss the dice, there are things that make the relationship great, and there are things that make the relationship unbearable. Although I’m speaking on the side of the male population, I’m speaking even more so from the standpoint of the Greek population. People see us and don’t expect relationships or commitments. Stereotypically, they expect promiscuity and unfaithful companionships masked by alcohol and parties. Sorry to rain on your media-induced perception of the community, but that’s not the case at all. In fact, relationships are more common than you’d think in our community. The thing you have to understand is that in a larger social community with a greater networking and small-town feeling where everyone’s connected, something is bound to go awry at some point. I’ve seen relationships come to a screeching halt in countless ways, but the biggest has always been when the guy in the relationship feels that he’s been whipped. Tell a guy he’s whipped and you’ve successfully inflicted mental torture on him.
Compromise should be a cornerstone of any relationship, but you’d be surprised how many couples just don’t see the necessity of communicating. Instead of listening to each other, they listen to their friends, their brothers, and their sisters. Nothing freaks out a guy more than when his friends or brothers tell him he’s whipped, or even worse, “Wifed up.” Whipped entails that the guy is somewhere between a rock and his girlfriend. It’s almost like a psychological attack when you tell a guy he’s whipped; it makes him overanalyze the situation and think the worst in things, almost like he’s paranoid. Sometimes, certain eccentricities in a relationship make the situation work, and sometimes these things would never personally work for you and your relationship. Criticizing the couple with title of whipped or wifed up or unhealthy isn’t up to you and will just make the situation worse.
Before I end this timeless rant, I’d like to leave you with something to ponder. Relationships aren’t for everyone, and the sooner you realize if you really want to be in one, the sooner you can start to have better ones. Some people in college can’t live without always being in a relationship, and others cringe at the idea of being in one. Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or somewhere in between, don’t worry about labeling your status, because these are where the problems form. Telling a guy he’s whipped won’t do anything positive for his perception of the relationship. Telling a girl she’s basically his wife won’t make any more of an improvement on it either. You’re here to have fun and learn about yourself, so take some clichéd advice and do whatever makes you the happiest.