As a third year student in a committed relationship, I was loathe to dig into this topic. The matter was offhandedly mentioned to me by a nonchalant friend over coffee and it has been plaguing me ever since. Is my relationship holding me back?
Teachers and parents repeatedly tell students that relationships and education simply do not mix. Love is a distraction. But is there actually any basis for this? Or is it something that people say to make sure that their kids grow up to be doctors?
The older research would indicate that relationships during education were problematic in terms of focus and achievement – particularly if the relationship goes down hill. It would seem the general consensus was that romance in high school or university was a terrible idea.
Long distance relationships with a partner from high school are seen as a romantic death sentence with most couples breaking up in their final year or halfway through first year. People are reluctant to bring love into their lecture halls.
However, a study undertaken by StudyMode shows that in all actuality, students these days do prioritise their grades over their love lives – they just do not let university stop them from experiencing romance.
Statistics show that one fifth of British university students will find their life partner on campus. This is something some students – especially women – can actually be quite resistant too. Romance is seen as a distraction and many people try to avoid commitment in their first years of higher education.
However, being away from home is daunting and so students soon find themselves struggling to make connections – so when they do they hold onto them, even if romance was never supposed to be on the table.
It is argued that university relationships actually help couples figure out their compatibility. Student couples can spend weeks living together in one tiny dorm room, sharing expenses and household duties: this can help prepare couples for what the future could possibly hold. If a break up occurs then it becomes much easier to adjust without the added pressure of leases and shared bills.
When it comes to serious romance in university the rule is simple: do not lose sight of your priorities. There is no point navigating a relationship and your studies if you never actually study. Navigating any kind of serious relationship can be difficult – university only makes things more interesting.
Featured image credit: Gottman.com
Writer Person. Old Fashioned Nerd. Reluctant Hipster. Barefoot.
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