To give you a little bit about my relationship; I have been with my boyfriend for 5 years and we go to the same school. These are tips that help me maintain my relationship while also focusing on my schoolwork and myself. My boyfriend and I are best friends and tell each other everything. We have a lot of stuff in common, but are very different at the same time; he likes to stay in and I am more of the going out type. It is great that we have trust because we allow each other to do whatever we want without being concerned of what the other is doing. Here are some tips that keep my relationship healthy and fun!
Remember that you are here for your education
Although college is a place where you learn many different life lessons the most important part is, of course, the education aspect of it. You cannot put off schoolwork to hang out with your boy/girlfriend. Studying together is one way that you can be around your person and also stay focused on your schoolwork. Who knows? They even may be able to help you with a topic you are stumped on. Remember that you have a goal and do not let anything get in your way!
Date Night
Lets be real, we are college students and we do not have enough money to have a dinner date once a week, but just hanging out and enjoying each others company without interruptions is the best way to stay connected. The biggest rule to date night is NO PHONES. Nothing is worse than trying to spend quality time with someone and they are stuck on their phone. Being truly connected with someone is the key to having a healthy relationship!
Don’t let other people interfere with your relationship
This one is hard because you now live with so many people, which is always a struggle in more than one way. The main thing is to not allow people to meddle in your relationship. Do what makes you happy, even if people do not like it. This can get especially difficult when you are fighting with your S.O. and you vent to your friend and they wind up hating the other person. Your friend and your significant other may not like each other (which is okay), but do not allow them to trash talk one another.
Take time to hang out with your friends without your significant other
This is one struggle that not even the healthiest relationship can say that they have figured out completely. Balancing your friends and your relationship is one of the things that I know I struggle with in my relationship. You should always make time for your friends and also make time for the person you love. Having regular girls nights is one way to combat this issue. Staying in contact with your friends will also definitely help!
There will be fights but talk through them
Along with a relationship comes disagreements, to say the least. Especially when you are at college together and are always around one another. Personally, I was in a relationship with my boyfriend before we came to school so when we got here it was basically like moving in together. As you all know, moving in with someone teaches you a lot about that person, this may be for the better or for the worse.
For example, if you like to sleep in a room as cold as Antarctica and your S.O. likes it hot… then you might find yourself in some predicament. These issues are ones that you just have to compromise on. Arguments are bound to happen but the true test to your relationship is how you handle them. Never walk out after an argument, just talk through it.
Motivate each other to do well and not fall onto the wrong track
Another very important thing to help with your relationship is to make sure you are both on top of schoolwork. If you both are motivating one another you will be more successful in your grades. There is a fine line before you start sounding like a parent to your S.O. It could definitely be annoying when your girlfriend/boyfriend is telling you what to do in a parental way. So try to avoid being too hard on them!
Intimacy
Intimacy is another struggle you may face in college. Having roommates is an obstacle to being intimate with your partner. Just talk to your roommate and try to be considerate of their schedule, if you ask to have the room constantly that could be frustrating for your roommate. Being intimate is an important factor in my relationship personally, but if you are choosing to not be intimate, that’s completely okay too. For me, I have to remain spontaneous and keep my relationship spicy!