Dating? In College?

One can debate all day about whether dating in college is a way to have an enriched college experience or if it acts as a distraction and an impediment to your academic goals. Irrespective to whether you think that this is a good or bad idea, I think that we can all agree that this is an inevitable idea. Dating is something that is going to happen when you put people of the opposite sex (or the same in some cases) in an environment where they see each other almost everyday; they share information; they get to know one another, and for many students, they use college as a pool to expand their social life. The answer to this question ultimately lies with the individual. There needs to be the understanding that whether it works out or not, the relationship can't undermine your academic aspirations. That can be a very difficult task, especially when it doesn't work out and you not only have to see that person daily, but you might be forced to spend hours sitting in the same room with that person-a very difficult idea for some.

A recent article on helium.com does a very good job of summing up the dilemmas one faces when deciding on whether or not to date in college. The key thing here is responsibility. Be honest with the other person and be honest with yourself. That being said, I wouldn't ever want to dissuade someone from approaching someone who they feel would be a good  match. The reality is that dating can cause complications in many areas of our lives; problems don't just come when that person goes to the same school as you. A good rule of thumb here is to apply the same standards to a person who is on the same academic path with you as you would with a person you meet through any other venues. There needs to be trust, honesty and communication. If you feel like that is going to be problematic then maybe you should really just consider the friends route with that guy/girl you have been thinking of.