College is an environment like no other, so some things are crucial to help maintain a healthy relationship in college. To preface this- these are all my own opinions. At the end of the day, you should do what works best for you and your partner!
There are some key values for maintaining a healthy relationship in college. To start, communication is one of the most important values within a relationship. You and your partner should always try to be on the same page, or at least have open communication about where you both stand on certain things. It is crucial to communicate to your partner your needs and vice versa. In college, you may encounter many scenarios that could cause problems in your relationship. Having conversations and letting each other know how you feel about these things will help down the road. Creating a safe space for open, honest communication with each other will help you maintain a healthy relationship.
Another core value, in an exclusive relationship, is trust. In college, you are constantly surrounded by so many of your peers, that it is easy for a partner to feel some insecurities. There are going to be many situations, most likely, where you are around others, of all genders, without your partner. If trust issues arise within your partner, it is important to hear them out and look inwardly making sure you have done nothing to cause them to feel this way. If you have, it is important to have an honest conversation about it. But if you haven’t, your partner needs to try to understand that they have to trust you. Without trust, the relationship will become full of jealousy and other issues, so you must build trust with your partner and maintain it.
Another way to maintain a healthy relationship in college is making time for each other, and also making time for yourself. In college, it is easy to get caught up with schoolwork, clubs, and/or activities. While these things should definitely have your time and attention, if you want your relationship to remain healthy and be successful, you have to make sure you make time for your partner. However, it shouldn’t go so far, the other way either. Since you don’t have to get your parents’ permission for when you can and can’t see them, it is easy to want to spend every waking minute with your partner at college. This can be fun, but don’t forget it’s important to make time for yourself. College is a time to experience new things and meet new people. So, you and your partner should be making time to do things separately, like hanging out with friends or doing something that interests you.
If you and your partner try to incorporate these values in your relationship as much as possible, you should hopefully be able to maintain a healthy relationship.