First Year Relationships: Are You Moving Too Fast?

First year relationships sound exciting, but moving too fast can have messy consequences. Source: vjapratam, Pexels.com

Freshman year. A time for new beginnings, new people and new experiences. Between the opportunity to live away from home and exhilaration of a fresh start, your first year of college is an eye-opening experience like no other. 

However, alongside this lifestyle change comes the addition of new responsibilities, and adding romance to the mix can prove difficult to balance as a first-year college student. This fall semester, you may want to be wary of how quickly your relationship moves from friends to lovers. 

One of the most common consequences of getting into a relationship early in your college experience is moving too fast. As a first-year student, you are constantly being granted opportunities to meet new people - whether it be living in the dorms, mandatory freshman meetings or attending one of the various events on campus. 

Although you may connect with someone quickly, it takes time to truly get to know them and moving the relationship too fast can have long-term consequences. Take your time! Feelings of obligation, pressure or stress from being with someone you don’t know well can cause things to unfold. Also, living on the same campus makes it difficult to undo any damage done by a rushed relationship. 

As new students, you will undergo a lot of different changes throughout the year. College is a growth process. It’s important to remember that you may not finish the year (or even the semester) with the same values, beliefs and perspectives that you entered with. Though not always, new relationships can sometimes prove to be a distraction from getting to know yourself. 

Granting yourself individual time to grow and navigate your new environment can prove better for the long-term health of your relationship. Additionally, rushed romances can also prove a distraction from other personal obligations such as your sport, studies or job requirements. Being sure to keep your priorities straight as you get to know others is essential, and the right relationship for you won’t pose a threat to that. Remember, you have four years to get to know the people you will meet. No rush! 

Romantic relationships require a lot of quality time, and while this is important for growth it is also very time-consuming. Being in a first-year relationship may often place you in the position of choosing between spending time with your partner and spending time with new people you meet. 

While consistently choosing your partner can be beneficial for the relationship, it can also inhibit you from building bonds with others you meet on campus. Spending all your time with one person, whether romantic or platonic, fails to push you out of your comfort zone. Allowing yourself time to branch out and meet new people can help you build lifelong bonds within your four years at school. 

Though these are things to consider, everyone’s freshman year experience is different. If you are fortunate enough to meet the right person for you, go for it! Remember, the right partner will grow with you and never inhibit you from enjoying the college experience you desire. Staying cognizant of the role your relationship serves in your life is essential, both freshman year and every year after.