That's it! The day you've been waiting for has finally sprung upon you, and you could not possibly be more ecstatic. Today is the day that you are finally moving on from the familiarity of living day-to-day under your parent's watchful gaze and trading it in for the freedom that comes in part with being a college freshman. This crazy, overly-anticipated new lifestyle brings a world full of ideas and thoughts that swirl around the minds of all fresh out of high school grads. College is the perfect time to go wild, right? It's not the time nor the place to step back and consider getting into a committed relationship, right?
Newsflash, especially you the class of 2022- the conception that you can't juggle a relationship in your first year of college could not be more, just plain out, wrong.
As a young adult entering a whole new world, college, the majority of people come to the conclusion that they probably don't want to be "tied down" by a relationship. The thought to settle in doesn't really appeal to a decent amount of freshman with the allure of parties, clubs, bars, greek life, and even the thrill of living on your own for the first time.
It's confusing to me, however, why the thought of being in a fully committed and faithful relationship doesn't entice more freshman students. In all honesty, I had the exact same mindset in the months leading up to my first semester; in my mind, there was absolutely no way in hell that I was going to be sucked up into a relationship at any cost when there were going to be so many other things to focus my time on. For the longest time, I remember myself telling my oldest friends that after going through the many motions of relationships in high school I was ready for the no-strings-attached scenarios that are so abundant in college. I figured that's what everyone does- so why not me too?
Ironically enough, this mindset completely changed- for the better- a month into my fall semester. I realized as I wish so many other freshmen with their hearts set on avoiding a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship at all costs would, that wanting to be devoted to and loved by one person isn't a setback or distraction.
Having a boyfriend or girlfriend your freshman year of college is like a safety blanket, and there is absolutely no shame in wanting that security. What's not attractive about having a partner who you will be able to rely on, trust, and adore? Be honest with yourself, there has to be satisfied in the fact that you will not only gain someone who's going to be there through thick and thin as a partner but, if it's the right person, they'll even be your best friend.
Not to mention, by being bound by a relationship you are going to always have a guaranteed person to join you under the covers while drinking hot chocolate and watching Netflix (Halloween movie marathon anyone? How about those sappy, adorable Christmas movies?) when the leaves start to change colors and frost eventually decorates your dorm room's windows.
There's a certain comfort in finding a relationship that you truly care for your freshman year of college. Everyone knows the feeling of wanting a boyfriend/girlfriend, but not wanting all the responsibilities that come along with the job of being a significant other, yeah, but in reality is a no-strings-attached relationship or a hookup going to fulfill that gap? Sure, they're fun for a little while and sometimes you just have to get it out of your system (maybe gain a little experience along the way too), however, those kinds of relationships are just simply not sustainable for an extensive period of time.
A vast majority of freshman think that their first and second semester of college is the perfect opportunity to go wild- and it can be, don't get me wrong, but I'm telling you once you get through those first 3-4 weeks jumping from person-to-person you're going to start longing for something real.
A healthy, secure relationship in your freshman year of college is like the icing on the cake. You're thriving, hopefully at the University of your dreams, and on top of all that you get to be with someone that truly makes you happy? What more could you ask for? You get a best friend, a study partner, and someone to fall in love with all in one, and that to me counts for so much more than just a plain, simple hook-up with someone you just met or may barely know outside of, maybe if you're lucky, social media.
