College Crush
Navin Bahl Staff
With St. Valentine’s Day fast approaching, one cannot help but think about their love life. If you are currently single, you can celebrate “Singles’ Awareness Day,” or find that special someone to hook up with, and it may develop into something meaningful. After all, you are in university, and you can’t say that you’ve exhausted all your possibilities, because beyond assignments, textbooks and final exams, university is a place where students can meet and build enduring, romantic relationships.
In high school, teenagers can sharpen their skills with dating. But seriously, “courtship” at such a tender age is nothing more than puppy love. High school dating is usually based on popularity, status and prestige, although the kiss-and-tell games and spin-the-bottle parties usually bring back fond memories.
Popular culture insists that pick-up or singles bars are made to ease the nervousness associated with courtship. You drink until you are senseless and muster up the courage to approach the one person you’ve had your eye on all night. But truthfully, after several drinks, you are not yourself: you are drunk. And the initial attraction is usually nothing more than physical, which can lead to one-night stands and bad decisions. Been there, done that.
At university, however, there are many outlets where like-minded people can develop friendships that could lead to something more. Students choose to study their personal interests and major in fields in which they intend to work in the near future. How many times have you met someone in your class before or after a difficult exam? Both of you have struggled through an arduous task and can share in the experience. I know I have intentionally met others with this method.
Beyond that, study groups, student groups and extra-curricular activities galore all facilitate the meeting of people with similar interests.
While some people look for a soul-mate who will share their tastes and preferences, others, like myself, have grown tired of the same old thing. I see university as a place where people of diverse backgrounds can meet others with different experiences. As the saying goes, “opposites attract.” Why not date someone you or your friends would never expect you to be interested in? This way, you could learn and gain something from the relationship regardless of whether or not it lasts. It is your choice who you date, not your peers’, so why not exercise your options and diversify?
But of course, university love is not all fun and games. Due to the pressures of relationships combined with the stress of finishing a degree, some students find it demanding to balance both love and education. A relationship will require strong communication and time management to last through the hard times, especially if the couple does not share the same field of study and degree year completed. A couple’s love can and will be tested. Sacrifices and tough decisions must be made.
Can a couple preserve their feelings while life is pulling them in so many different directions? What happens when one finishes their degree early and finds a job abroad? Does the other love them enough to pick up their belongings and move? University love serves as valuable practice for the “real world.” Can your love survive the tough times? If not, the “real world” will have more difficult scenarios to overcome (think kids, divorce, infidelities, in-laws and so on).
Ultimately, whether you are in a relationship or just embarking on one this Valentine’s Day, why not skip the clichés of teddy bears and chocolates to really appreciate your relationship, however significant or serious it is? If you are single, there are plenty of fish in the sea: take advantage of the university’s pool of potential partners and approach your crush. Or better yet, join other individuals in toasting a “Happy Singles’ Awareness Day.” I know I will.
