College students juggle many responsibilities like school, social life, work, and relationships. Dating in college can help provide companionship and support that makes the transition to college life easier. However, relationships also take work to balance with school and personal growth. Studies show that being in a relationship in college may help reduce drug and alcohol use compared to single students. [/SUMMARY]

1. There
is
much
more
to
college
life
than
academics.
The
average
student
is
usually
juggling
school,
a
social
life,
a
job,
and
possibly
a
roman:c
rela:onship
on
a
daily
basis.

2. It
can
be
very
difficult
to
move
away
from
the
familiarity
of
your
hometown,
to
a
place
where
everyone
is
seen
as
a
stranger.
Some
students
have
a
tendency
to
fall
quickly
into
rela:onships
the
second
they
enter
college;
and
it
can
be
very
easy
to
get
caught
up
in
lust
rather
than
love.

3. One
student
claimed
that,
“having
someone
who
understands
me
and
someone
that
I
can
rely
on
has
made
this
year
far
easier”.

4. “I
not
only
met
his
parents
but
also
a
lot
of
his
extended
family,”
Britney
said.
“It
showed
me
a
lot
that
I
did
not
know
about
him,
how
he
grew
up,
what
his
family
life
was
like,
how
he
interacted
with
his
family
and
how
they
interacted
with
one
another”.

5. Many
students
find
that
da:ng
someone
in
college
is
a
great
way
to
learn
about
your
self
and
how
to
grow
as
a
person.

6. “He
has
pushed
me
to
perform
the
best
I
possibly
can
and
support
me
when
I
need
help,”
Britney
said.
“My
rela:onship
has
made
my
life
so
enriching
and
it
has
affected
all
my
other
friendships
by
using
the
skills
I
have
aKained
on
crea:ng
healthy
friendships
and
rela:onships
through
mutual
understanding
and
compromise.”

7. “He
supports
me
when
it
comes
to
my
academics,
we
spend
a
lot
of
:me
studying
together.”
one
student
said.

8. Students
in
college
all
over
the
United
States
have
found
that
being
involved
in
a
roman:c
rela:onship
has
many
posi:ve
aspects
such
as
providing
a
distrac:on
from
using
drugs
and
alcohol.

9. A
study
conducted
by
a
research
scien1st
at
the
University
of
Washington
found
that
the
typical
student
who
was
not
in
a
rela1onship
was
40
percent
more
likely
to
use
marijuana
or
alcohol
than
a
person
who
was
da1ng
someone.

10. “I
definitely
chose
to
stay
in
and
hang
out
with
him
on
occasion,”
she
said.
“It’s
refreshing
to
know
there
is
someone
I
can
hang
out
with
if
all
my
friends
decide
to
go
out.”

11. Common
ac:vi:es
between
couples
are
a
great
way
to
become
closer
“We
share
a
lot
of
similar
interests
which
makes
our
rela:onship
very
easy.”

12. “Overall
rela:onships
are
a
roller
coaster,”
Britney
said.
“ They
have
the
highest
highs
and
the
lowest
of
lows.
Maintaining
a
rela:onship
while
learning
more
about
yourself
and
your
studies
is
a
delicate
balance.
My
rela:onship
in
college
has
influenced
the
rest
of
my
life,
such
as
learning
how
to
love,
how
to
thrive
as
a
collec:ve
unit
and
as
well
as
expressing
yourself
as
an
individual.
My
rela:onship
makes
me
who
I
am
today
and
who
I
will
be
tomorrow.”