Towards the end of senior year of high school, the long-lasting relationships that you and your friends have always envied seem to inevitably split. Even those who are only dating or “talking” seem to distance themselves. Everyone is preparing their love life for college – where you must be single, right?

Hook-up culture is even more so present in college than it is in high school, but does that mean that everyone wants to involve himself or herself in that lifestyle? For many romantics, the idea of making out with someone whose name they don’t even know is… strange and unimaginable.

Despite what you may have been told, relationships in college are possible. For me, I didn’t even think twice about continuing my relationship through college. If you’re happy and in love, why end that? Being in a relationship in college has major benefits, whether your significant other is going to the same school or is on the opposite side of the country.

For one, you have someone to lean on. College can be difficult at times; it can be hard for some to be away from their families and their friends. Not to mention, it’s difficult adjusting to the lifestyle and the workload. Being in a relationship you have someone to help you along the way – someone to give you advice and push you to be your best. You can Face Time your significant other when you’re feeling down, or you can send them your paper and ask them for advice when you just can’t get a paper down.

Secondly, you’ll always have a visitor! If you go to the same school as your significant other, you’ll always be able to have a Netflix buddy on nights when you both don’t feel like going out. But if he/she goes to another school or is home, they’ll be able to come visit you, and maybe you can even visit them! This brings excitement to the relationship and you’ll be able to show them your home away from home. Also, you’ll have something to look forward to – seeing them and experiencing their school!

Lastly, you’ll most likely be able to dodge a lot of the mistakes that could be made freshman year. As mentioned before, the college hookup culture is different from high school, and being new to it all can result in unhappiness, mistakes, and hurt feelings. Relationships and loyalty go hand and hand – so you’ll avoid meaningless hook ups that can lead to drama and heartbreak. Try to leave drama in high school; it’s really irrelevant when you begin growing up.

So if you’re scared of going into college in a relationship, just know that the benefits can outweigh the negatives. Long distance relationships can be difficult at times, but distance doesn’t impair the love and support a relationship can hold.

Remember to do what makes you happy. If someone tells me I can’t do something that makes me want to do it ten times better. I’m happy to say my relationship made it through freshman year, and I am now stronger and happier than ever in it.