source: alivecampus.com
Dating a guy from another school always sounds pretty chill. Your friend says proudly, “Oh, you wouldn’t know him. He doesn’t go here.” This remark sparks serious envy. You wonder when and where she met this unknown boy, and most importantly, how can you get one of our own? Dating someone from another school is like keeping a secret; you can choose what to reveal and what to hide because it’s highly unlikely friends are going to see this mystery boy at the DUC or the computer lab. Ambiguity drives people insane, especially when it has to do with love and relationships. We all are curious to know what it is like to date someone outside the realm of the Emory Bubble. So, I’m here to tell you it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. Sure, there are some bonuses, but in the overarching picture, appreciate the Emory boys because there are some buried gems amidst the pile of, um, rocks. (No offense to you male HerCampus readers!) Of course, to each her own. There are awesome guys (and girls) in and out of Emory, but based on my own experience, here are some pros and cons for two major factors that go with dating a boy who doesn’t fly with us Eagles.
1. Space
source: relationshipexperts.net
PRO:
You are busy enough as a college student. Add on a boyfriend, and your plate begins to look full. Dating someone who doesn’t go to Emory gives you the personal space you may need at times when schoolwork must be priority. A boy can be a distraction, and cuddling beats flashcards any time, any day. Being able to retain your individual identity at Emory is easy when your boyfriend/SO goes to another school. I valued the fact that I could focus on classes, study during the week, and then look forward to the weekends where I could escape my schoolwork and see my SO after my homework was out of the way. I never felt the obligation to be with my boyfriend because we were too far away from each other anyway. This allowed me to have my own life away from him.
CON:
Isn’t the point of a relationship to have your boyfriend be a part of your life? Although personal space is great, when you like someone and especially if you’re dating that person, you miss him/her. I found myself missing my off-campus boyfriend and wishing he went to Emory so I could see him at a moment’s notice, from seeking company to wanting a shoulder to lean on due to #EmoryStress. Texting can only do so much. I found myself noticing on-campus couples at Starbucks, Highland, and the library together and wishing my boyfriend went to Emory so I could spend days with him even when we had schoolwork to do and were super busy. It would have been nice to walk to class with him or see him right afterward. After all, it’s the little things that count, and it sure would have brightened my day to have my boyfriend in close proximity. Not to mention, boyfriend = automatic study buddy.
2. Hello, Goodbye
Source: desibucket.com
PRO:
The good ol’ adage, “distance makes the heart grow fonder” is so true when dating someone who doesn’t go to Emory. When the day arrives where you finally get to see him, the time apart has made you miss him so much more! The “hello” is highly anticipated, making the time you spend with your off-campus cutie all that more valuable and higher in quality.
CON:
With every hello, at some point, a goodbye follows it. Those goodbyes are the toughest. I remember never wanting that goodbye to come. It made life be compartmentalized: one reality where you have a boyfriend and life is amazing and an alternate reality where you are in school with no SO. Of course, in the back of my mind, I always reminded myself that I had a “someone,” but he was always in that section of my life that was separate from school.
Whether your dream boy/girl goes to Emory or not, there are some circumstances that are out of your control! Maybe you meet them at a GTech party. Maybe at a Ponce City Market dog parade. Whatever and wherever it happens, all that really matters is that it happened. So, live it up with an Emory hottie or a non-Emory hottie, just make sure your crush contributes positively to your lifestyle, and the pros outweigh the cons! If necessary, make a list! It’s a cheesy cliché, but it works every single time.