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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Hampton U chapter.

When you get tired of failing relationships or are looking to spice things up in your love life, you may consider trying a “friends with benefits” relationship. Depending on the people within said relationship, these benefits can have multiple different meanings. Whether they are financial favors or sexual favors for one another, there’s an extra mile being taken within the friendship. Even though many times the phrase is meant in a sexual way, people aren’t always looking for sexual favors. Some people just want someone to cuddle up with, with no strings attached. In the friendship, it is very wise to communicate what both you and the other person mean by “benefits” to ensure you all are on the same page before moving forward. 

 

Many times what people forget somewhere along the way is that when you have prearranged something with someone and things change, that also needs to be communicated. This change normally being when one person begins to develop feelings or when one person gets into a relationship with someone else. These factors along with thousands of other probable reasons can cause premature endings. For those still being indecisive about what they want to do, there’s nothing wrong with turning a friends with benefits relationship into an actual relationship, but just be sure that your feelings aren’t misplaced just because of good sex. 

 

The ultimate upside of having a friend with benefits is more freedom to do what you want with a particular person with not so many strings attached or regulations. However, the downside is that you have the potential to get attached or that person could be having sex with other people. As long as you both are having safe, consensual sex and communication your friends with benefits relationship could be one for the books!

 

Sherdell Baker

Hampton U '23

Sherdell Baker is an emerging trailblazer in the media industry. Along with her being President (Campus Correspondent) for Her Campus Hampton U, she also writes for her own lifestyle & advice blog and ESSENCE Girls United. Sherdell works to one day be the Editor-in-Chief of a major magazine publication or create her own magazine company and continue to share important stories after she graduates from Hampton University.