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Clemson | Culture

Love Languages

Isabella Taylor Student Contributor, Clemson University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Clemson chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Isabella Taylor

If you’re currently in a relationship, you should know how important it is to learn your partner’s love language, and make sure they implement your own. If not, and if you have no idea what I’m even talking about, here’s a bit of a crash course on love languages that I’ve compiled. 

When I was younger, somewhere in early elementary school, my mother introduced me to love languages. I have four sisters, and we all love cuddling, so I used to lie in bed with my mother quite frequently at a younger age. One day, she introduced the idea of a “love bucket,” and claimed that mine seemed to be filled up by snuggling with her.

She urged me to always come to her if my bucket was low, especially since I would get crabby and rude if it started emptying. Nowadays, my “love bucket” is pretty full. I have clued in most of those around me what fills it up (it’s not just cuddling anymore), and they regularly do so.

Now, love languages are sort of the different ways to fill up your bucket. Cuddling, which falls into the love language of “physical touch,” is a big one for me. There are five well-known love languages. You can read more about them from Dr. Gary Chapman, who developed these five.

No. One Acts of Service

Do you like it when your partner opens the door for you? What about when your friend picks up the food for both of you? If so, one of your love languages might be acts of service. Acts of Service is essentially when someone does something for you, not necessarily with money, but with some sort of action. 

No. Two Receiving Gifts

If you’re generally on the receiving end of things, you might lean towards receiving gifts as one of your love languages. My little sister’s biggest love language is definitely this one, and I enjoy gifting, so it works out well.

No. Three Quality Time

A lot of these are pretty self-explanatory, but I don’t think any are more so than this one. If you appreciate it when someone watches a movie with you, or takes you out on a date, then you most likely have quality time as one of your love languages. I really like this one. I tend to love even just independent play with someone I love. 

No. Four Words of Affirmation

You’re so pretty! How did that make you feel? If you love compliments and affirmations that you’re doing good work, then you should probably write up words of affirmation as one of your love languages. My mom has this one big time, so I make sure to sprinkle in some very specific and uplifting compliments about the work that she’s been doing whenever I can.

No. Five Physical Touch

Finally, the last one is physical touch. This is where my “cuddling” comes in handy. If anything that involves touching or receiving touch from someone fills up your love bucket, then you are definitely a physical touch person. This could be anything from high-fives to kissing. 

Now that you know the five love languages, take some time and determine which ones you identify with the most. It’s good to know which ones fill up your bucket, and which ones you don’t care for, because then you can share this information with those around you, and they can start filling up your bucket too!

Isabella Taylor

Clemson '29

Isabella Taylor is an undergraduate working towards her B.S. in Economics with a Political and Legal Theory Minor at Clemson University. She is a Lyceum Scholar and a member of the CUBS Living Learning Community at Clemson. Isabella's mother owns a lavender farm in Lenoir, NC that Isabella works on seasonally, so the idea of hard work is nothing new to her.

Isabella's late father was a decorated Captain in the US Air Force, and his unfortunate passing in 2012 has given her a strong desire to uplift those around facing similar hardships. She is also the middle of five daughters, all of which have always created a strong female network for her throughout her life. Without her younger sister, Olivia, Isabella wouldn't have made it as far as she has.

Isabella loves reading, especially books by Jane Austen and Sarah J. Maas. She is also an avid writer and lover of creative non-fiction, having developed this affection through reading her mother's many published personal memoirs. If not writing or reading, Isabella can be found studying at the library with friends, preferably with a PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) on her desk.