Relationship Issues

Relationships can be challenging to maintain while at college. Whether it is your roommate, significant other, friends, or family, the following tips can help you stay connected with the important people in your life!

Make Time to Be Together
Reserve time for you to do things together or would like to do together. Discuss your schedules, such as when and how you’ll be able to spend time together. Coordinate times in your daily planner or electronic calendar. The important this is to make or create time to be together – and then actually do it.

Make Time for Other Things as Well
It is equally important to have time away from each other so you don’t lose yourself in your relationship. Don’t forget the other commitments like, school, chores or time with social organizations. (It is ideal to balance time between your boyfriend/girlfriend, other friends, family, etc.)

Communicate!
Take the time to talk with each other. Be open and honest with one another. Lies will only haunt you, tear you apart, weaken your bond and chip away at the relationship. Really listen to each other and don’t be afraid to share things (major and small) with each other. Have meaningful, connecting, bonding, (etc.) conversations. Talk about anything and everything!

Be Over the Top Understanding and Forgiving of Each Other
Your full time job is to be a college student; (studying for midterms and finals, papers, going to class, etc.). You may also have a job (work hours vary). Your schedules may not always match up, and one of you might cancel unexpectedly. Just be ready if he/she does and respect that they have to cancel last minute. You can always re-schedule your date.

Be There for Each Other
Be there for one another. Offer your support and comfort in any way you can; through encouragement, be there physically as well as emotionally. Help one another through it. Remember, be understanding of the academic (as well as work, if one of you has a job) stress. Offer to help each other study. Be honest if your commitments at the moment prevent you from giving as much support as you would like, or they ask for.

Keep Working on Your Relationship
Work every day, day after day, month after month, (however long it lasts). Anything worth having is worth working for. Work out differences in effective, healthy ways. We can help you if you aren’t sure how to go about this.