There are many college students involved in serious, intimate relationships. Whether it is a relationship with someone at the same school or a long distance relationship, which type is best when it comes to one’s emotional health?

When it comes to leaving for college, people in relationships have a few choices to make. Some people decide to go to the same school as their significant others to make their relationship easier to maintain. On the other hand, some decide to take different paths as far as different schools or careers go and still decide to stay together. The other choice people have is to decide to completely part ways, at least for the time being.

What emotional gains do people who are in relationships receive? Do some feel a constant need for a significant other to maintain a positive emotional health?

“I certainly believe those [relationships in college]  can work, grow, and develop,” said Rick Reger, lecturer of sociology.

In the situation of long distance relationships, a lot are continued from high school. Many people feel too emotionally tied to their significant others to completely give up on them just because of distance.

“My guess would be because they really like that other person and have expectations that’s being reciprocated and that as a relationship, they feel it’s worth maintaining, even though they are far away,” Reger said.

As more and more time goes by without being able to see that person, the relationship can become strained. Many people can feel frustrated with the distance barrier. In this type of relationship, a lot more trust is needed because a student may feel pressured to constantly check up with their significant other through texts or phone calls. This can be hard emotionally from both ends because the student may want to socialize but at the same time could feel guilty about not contacting his or her partner or talking to someone new. Although the distance can be tough, some may decide to continue with the relationship anyway just to have the emotional support that a relationship can provide.

When it comes to dating someone at the same school, the relationship can seem more “doable.”

“When you are at the same school, you are able to trust each other more. It’s also nice just to be around each other all the time, and college is a new experience so it’s good to experience it together,” said Caroline Alva, sophomore in chemical engineering. “Basically you just need to be with your best friend — which is sometimes your significant other — because college can be so stressful.”

This type of relationship may seem ideal but can cause minor problems at the same time due to each partner having their own schedules and individual workloads.

“Make sure the student prioritizes their classes and their homework, with high priority,” Reger said. “Don’t sacrifice that for a relationship.”

It is also common for each partner to have his or her own friends, which can create the dilemma of weather to should spend time with his or her significant other on a Saturday night or with friends. 

On the other hand, the people who decide to go separate ways during college are forced to deal with a lot emotionally as well due to break-ups not being easy. Some may break up just because they believe it will be easier to be at college single, only having to worry about oneself. Some may even break up because they have met someone new in whom they are interested. When deciding to split, for whatever reason, each partner may feel a sense of loss due to the fact that they no longer have that constant go-to person like they had had for a long time.

So, is having a serious relationship even worth it in college? When it comes to one’s emotional stability, it ultimately falls upon the student to decide this for themselves.

“Don’t be selfish. Put the other person ahead of yourself,” Reger said. “If [the relationships] are healthy, which they should be, it should be emotionally positive.”

No matter what someone may decide is best for them, as far as their relationship goes, any type of relationship should provide a positive impact on one’s well being.

It is important to realize that not everything is meant to work out, and no matter the circumstances of the relationship, it should impact all aspects of your life in a positive, healthy way.