The “college experience” means something different to everyone. For some, it’s going out and partying, but for others it doesn’t mean the same thing. Many believe college is your time to experiment, which to some equates to participating in hookup culture. Hookup culture in college is very popularized, and a lot of people participate in it.
However, there’s another percentage of people who choose to be in a relationship while in college. These relationships are often fun and filled with love but faced with criticism.
There has always been a negative stigma around college relationships. Most people think these relationships will never work out, especially ones that continue on from high school. This stigma usually comes from the fact that around only 28% of college relationships end in marriage. Just because a relationship might not end in marriage doesn’t mean it’s any less important. College relationships usually act as stepping stones. This is when you learn what you should and shouldn’t do in a relationship and give experiences for both parties.
So why is it that when you tell someone you want to be in a relationship in college they think it’s a bad decision? Even though college is filled with a bunch of young adults trying to figure out their lives, relationships can help these students prosper.
For those in a college relationship, you’re probably used to people questioning your decision. Being in a relationship in college is great, but they’re usually met with the response that you’re going to miss out on the “college experience.” Many people believe the college experience is based solely on partying and hookup culture. I’ve been in a relationship for around 2 ½ years and when I started college, I heard this phrase all the time. It can feel very degrading being told your relationship will never last or you should “enjoy yourself” during your college years.
In my experience, I came into college with a boyfriend from high school. It wasn’t a hard decision at all, but there were many times where I questioned what would happen to my relationship once I arrived at college. College life seems to be portrayed as meeting a new partner each week and getting with different people all of the time. You constantly hear about college-aged people not being fully committed to their relationship and making wrong choices.
Long distance relationships in college also have a negative stigma around them. When two different people attend different colleges and try to make a relationship work, it sometimes doesn’t lead to the best ending. There are some that decide they don’t want to be in a long distance relationship in college, and that’s totally okay. But for the ones that do, they are usually also seen as strange and different. Outside parties often don’t see long distance relationships as “serious” and will act as if it’s not a thing.
Having someone you can trust and count on during these four years of your life is great. There’s never any doubt if you’ll ever find someone or feel like you don’t have anyone to talk to. A relationship often boosts serotonin levels and in time makes you happier. Having someone that makes you happy is something that can really help in college. It can be pretty stressful, and having someone that constantly makes you happy can make you a little less stressed all the time. We should stop considering those in college relationships as “wasting their college years” or “making a bad decision” because at the end of the day, it’s their choice and not the worst one they can make.