Dating or not dating in college can be a hard decision to make. College is full of opportunities, beyond career or professional development which means— relationships! While you make the decision on whether or not to date in college, here are 5 things to remember if you do decide that this is the best route for you.
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Don’t Jump Into a Relationship if You’re Not Ready
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College is all about experiencing new things, especially social life and relationships. Therefore, it is okay to not want to jump into a serious relationship right away. Take your time to have fun, try new things, experience life, but make sure to be safe while doing anything outside of your comfort zone.
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You Both Have Busy Schedules
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If you do decide to get into a relationship, you need to remember that you both are in college ultimately trying to figure out how to navigate the rest of your lives. You both will be busy. That is with classes, internships, jobs, organizations, and probably a lot of other activities. Yes, there has to be time for the relationship, but you both also need to understand that you have seperate lives and obligations.
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Be Patient and Understanding
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You both are now adults and it is no longer a “kiddie” relationship. You have to be understanding to each other’s needs, wants, mood swings, and all of the above. Being patient with your significant other is an important part of a relationship. Both of you are nowhere near perfect and when you are dating someone it takes a long time for you two to learn each other’s personalities. Patience and understanding can go a long way and help each other when in a relationship.
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Communication is Key
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Communication is key to every relationship—both platonic and romantic. Talking to each other when you’re happy, when something is bothering you, or even if you just want to talk is necessary for a successful relationship. Communication is important. Not talking to each other can lead to more problems than you might think. Holding things in is never a good idea and can lead to bottled up feelings exploding and further complicating resolving an issue. To get things out in the open, communication is all it takes and shouldn’t be difficult if you work towards it with your significant other.
5. Remember to Still Focus on Yourself
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Caring about someone else and sharing mutual affection with another person can be exhilarating, but remember to not neglect yourself and your needs at the same time. Mental and physical health can and will fluctuate during college and it is important to make sure you are always at your best mentally and physically. A good significant other will understand that you focusing on yourself and them focusing on themselves doesn’t mean it is a rough patch in your relationship. In order to successfully care for another person you have to be able to understand your own thoughts and feelings so that you can be at your best as a significant other.