Senior Year Relationships

Is it the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning?

As some students enter into their final year at the beloved Penn State, they find themselves in certain situations that they did not expect. One of the most interesting changes that goes on at the start of senior year is the making or breaking of relationships.

Relationships in college are hard to maintain regardless of the circumstances. Maybe you have conflicting class schedules and can barely find time to see each other, or maybe you even attend different schools and only get one weekend per month together. No matter the situation, it is difficult to commit to someone during these few years.

The fate of relationships during senior year seems to follow one of two trends.  On one hand, two people may finally realize that they are not ready to be together forever. They may realize that after years of being together, they haven’t given the rest of the world a chance. On the other hand, two people may finally see each other with perfect clarity, realizing that they couldn’t dream of being with anyone else.

We  have all heard the lame excuse that we have either given or received in a relationship: “I’m just not ready for a girlfriend/boyfriend”. As much as this excuse sucks to hear, it actually isn’t as lame as it sounds. Entering into senior year gives you a serious wake-up call. It reminds you not only of the things you still want to accomplish in life, but of all the things you may have overlooked in the past. When someone tells their significant other that they are suddenly unsure of the relationship, it is probably more about the “break-upper” rather than the “break-upee.”Most likely they are realizing that they have not experienced as much as they would have liked to by now.

There are certain circumstances in which senior year provides all the clarity in the world. You may find yourself realizing that you can’t believe you held off on commitment for so long. You may see yourself looking at your significant other with more respect and admiration than ever. These cases might happen less frequently than the last, but they are the most meaningful.

If you happen to find yourself being blindsided with a breakup like this, try to take it with a grain of salt. Take a look at your own college years and decide if you want the same opportunity to meet new people. If you happen to find the one… more power to you!

 Photo by Jonathan Hsieh