The years spent in college seem to be the best time to fall in love. Being independent from parents, legally an adult and stuck with thousands of other people just like you, in the same situation, who are also looking for someone to love.
But is it smart to fall in love in college? With the stress of classes, homework, expenses and staying out of trouble, it seems that fitting in one more thing could be difficult to juggle.
Chris Wilson, an alumnus of the University, was recently engaged to his fiancé, a student at East Carolina University. Wilson now attends Western University as a graduate student, with one and a half years left. He seems to understand how getting hitched while still in college could be tough.
“A lot of my friends have done it, and I applaud them. But it’s hard because they have to spend time in the library, doing homework. School takes up time, and you have to divide it with that and the person you are with,” Wilson said.
Besides just balancing time with school, work and time with your significant other, college can also be a rough place to start a marriage, simply because of housing issues. Most University housing is set up with the same-sex roommate system, without regard to married couples. For married couples, it might be easier to rent an off campus apartment, and bypass the roommate system altogether.
Where the housing may be difficult on campus, the University definitely makes up for it, according to Wilson.
“I think they’re great. They definitely help out. I haven’t lived there lately, but I know State offers facilities close by,” Wilson says.
Wilson got engaged after he graduated, and believes that was the most responsible decision.
“We met at NCSU but she went to ECU, so we figured it would be more appropriate to wait, so that we could have more time together since the first year can come with some stress,” Wilson said. “Luckily, the University is very helpful with student loans through school; we can be successful, because the first year can be very expensive.”
A lot of preparation is required when a couple decides to get engaged. One needs to think about living expenses, moving all of the belongings in together, paying the bills together and living full time with someone can be a very new thing that takes some adaptation. With school, juggling all of these new transitions can be difficult.
“If you wait until after graduation, you have time to get a job so that you can provide support for your relationship,” Wilson said.
It might be difficult to support a relationship throughout college because college in itself is such a transitional period of one’s life. However, it is inevitable that people are going to fall in love, and it is human nature to want to settle down at some point. Balancing school and work and relationships can be a busy life, but even amongst this, you can’t stop a love that’s growing.
According to Wilson, you can maintain a relationship in college, but you just might want to wait a little bit before sealing the deal.
“I highly encourage that if they are truly in love, to get engaged during their senior year,” Wilson said. “But to be married, you need to have a job in order to support the marriage. Also, you can spend more time together, and that’s always a plus.”
Students are bound to fall in love during college. Everyone lives at such a close proximity, and there are so many activities where love is permitted. It seems like college might be the perfect time to find your soul mate; it’s just all about timing when deciding to take that love to the next level.
