Many students worry about their relationships after college. Relationships are often a topic of gossip, and students are often reluctant to discuss relationships before school starts.
However, most college relationships start around the same time as any other relationship — as freshmen! These days, many students spend more time with their friends than they do with their families.
If you’re worried that your relationship won’t last long into adulthood, especially with someone at college, read on for the tips that can help ensure it lasts.
Do College Relationships usually last?
College is a time of freedom and experimentation but it can also be confusing and uncertain.
Some college relationships do last if the partners are serious and engage each other with a long-tern perspective of relating. If they seek to build each other and improve one another, their relationships surely last beyond college.
People wonder if they last. It is not because college students are more patient or honest than their high school counterparts.
They are mature enough to know that the best relationships are built on mutual respect and compatibility.
College students aren’t going to try to commit until they know someone for longer than a few weeks, so there is no chance of getting into a serious relationship quickly.
However, it will probably be long-term once you start dating someone. So if you want a successful relationship in college, make sure your partner has similar goals and values as you do!
How to Sustain your College Relationship
The first few weeks of college can be overwhelming. This is so especially when college relationships affect class work and one feels burdened. Here are some tips to help sustain your college relationship:
1. Don’t take your Partner for Granted
Don’t let them take you for granted! If you don’t feel like talking or texting much during the day because you have so much going on financially and academically, don’t put pressure on yourself to keep up with your partner.
Trying to keep up with them by constantly communicating with them can be tempting, but remember that they are busy too! They may not get much sleep either, so they may not want to chat all night long as they used to when they were dating high schoolers.
2. Be intentional about showing love for each other every day
One of the best ways to keep your marriage strong after graduation is by intentionally showing love for each other daily. You don’t have to do anything fancy or expensive — show up with open arms, listen attentively, and try to communicate when you can.
Make sure that whatever you do — taking an afternoon off or making homemade dinner together — communicates that you care deeply about each other as individuals, not just spouses.
3. Have Fun Together
Whether going out with friends or staying home to study together, having fun is key. If you’re not having fun, then what’s the point of being together?
One way to ensure this happens is by ensuring that both parties do their fair share of entertaining each other. Turn off the TV and get out of your room for a change.
Take hikes or bike rides together, or watch a movie, play sports, or go camping. If you’re not doing something fun, it’s hard for your relationship to last long-term.
4. Stay in Touch with each other
It’s important to talk about what you like and don’t like about the other person in your life — that way; you can keep your love and hate alive!
You might even try out some new activities together if one of you wants it, like learning how to salsa dance. And if it doesn’t work out at first, try again later when things have changed.
Remember, just stay in touch, not live together. Some people fail because they start living together with college dates, which affects their focus on schooling.
5. Don’t Expect too much from each other
Sometimes when people start dating, they assume that their partner will do everything for them: cook dinner, clean up after themselves and even take care of their children while they’re at work.
While this can be nice sometimes, it’s important to remember that relationships are two-way streets, and people have responsibilities towards each other.
6. Don’t Forget about yourselves!
If one person starts to feel neglected by the other because they’re spending all their time with someone else, it could cause problems when they try to break up with their new boyfriend/girlfriend because they don’t want him/her to get back together.
Reasons why most College Relationships Fail
Lack of Communication
Lack of communication is one of the main reasons for most college relationships to fail. Communication is vital in any relationship, and if you and your partner cannot communicate effectively, neither of you will be happy.
When you are in a relationship with someone, it’s easy to assume that you know everything about them and what makes them tick.
However, this can often lead to misunderstandings and arguments between you because one or both people do not know how to communicate their thoughts and feelings best.
Arguments over minor issues
Arguments over minor issues are the most common reason why college relationships fail. This is because people tend to get into arguments over minor issues such as where they will live, how much they will spend money and what they will do during the weekends.
College students are also expected to make more money than they did in high school. They need to find ways to get more money, which can lead to arguments, especially when it comes to spending money.
Students also argue about what they will do during their free time. They are expected to stay on campus during breaks or weekends because this allows them to study and interact with others at the same institution.
Differences in Expectations
The first thing to happen in any relationship is that both people must feel comfortable with each other.
If one person expects that their future will consist of more than what they can offer the other person, then it’s likely that the relationship won’t last very long.
Giving up on each other
Some students lack patience. They cannot tolerate a simple concern over their partner. Therefore, they give up immediately and stop committing themselves to one another.
A lack of tolerance will cause one to lose focus and end up jumping into another relationship. This is one of the reasons why people feel that a college relationship is not worth the time, and some give up.
