Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The (Ugly) Truth About College Dating

The usual romantic-comedy flick is centered on a plot about love being found in typical places, most of the time, if the target audience is young adults, in a school setting. This can either be in high school or for slightly more mature audiences, in college. dating is often depicted as quite easy, with the typical boy, usually ruggedly handsome, falling for the gorgeous girl-next-door, who reciprocates his feelings just as fast. There are minimal mistakes, just quick and easy dating which eventually turns into romance. This, however, happens often only in movies, because in real life, it is hardly the same.

For one, not everyone is born ruggedly handsome or gorgeous. Each one has a different personality type which may or may not be quite difficult to handle. The challenge is to find someone with the same personality traits, or someone who can at least tolerate them. It can be a series of trials and errors, with the next date even worse than the last. College dating is a prelude to real-life dating. It prepares you for what lies ahead.

Once you're lucky enough and you've found your ideal partner in terms of personality, the next obstacle to overcome is your schedules. Unlike high school, in college, everyone has different schedules and classes you'd have to sync with to maintain a perfect relationship. The challenge is to still be able to meet with each other, despite the differences in schedule. Find time to walk each other to and from school. Also try studying together. It adds to bonding time, and who knows, your partner might know the answer to that hard question in chemistry class you've been trying to solve all night.

If peer pressure is strong in high school, think of it as a lot more powerful in college. The lure of all-night parties with all-you-can-drink alcohol, sometimes even with prohibited drugs, may take a toll on your relationship. If you're single, these kinds of parties can be opportunities for you to find a potential partner. If, on the other hand, you aren't, college parties which have a reputation for sometimes being too wild, may also be detrimental to your current relationship. Establish trust with your partner and ensure the stability of your relationship.

On the other side of the spectrum, some who have been too engrossed in college dating may also fall in the trap of neglecting their friends. Some spend the whole time holed up in their rooms with their partners and eventually stop thinking about how it is to spend time with friends. College dating may take up too much of your time, which may end up with you having to forego your friends, and even worse, your studies. The key here is to balance your time with your partner, while also balancing your studies and your social life. Make your partner realize that studies always come first, your social life, including her, a close second. Dating might seem like tedious work, especially in college, but with the right frame of mind, things might eventually seem like something out of the movies.

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