1. Freshman freedom.
Everyone has this idea that during freshman year you should pursue as many people as possible because you need to explore your options. Finding someone you actually consistently enjoy spending time with is considered to be “holding you back." This stigma of freshman year is used as an excuse to avoid monogamy and, for some bizarre reason, it is perfectly acceptable.
2. Weird steps and labels
What exactly is “being exclusive?" Apparently, it is necessary to have all of these different phases before actually committing to just one person. We have to, first, explicitly state that we are not seeking other people. Next, we decide to make it public; and then we state that we are finally ready to date that significant other.
3. Everyone knows everything.
Word about relationship developments -- or complications therein -- travels fast. Especially with the prevalence of social media; information can be made public with the press of a button. News flash, boys: if you go after two different girls that are friends they will find out. And they will find you at parties to make you awkwardly take photos with both of them (not that I know from personal experience).
4. The weather is not the only thing changing.
Throughout the school year, relationship expectations shift. In the beginning, everyone is all about meeting new people. Then, as schoolwork sets in and people's lives get slightly more boring, everyone wants a bae to cuddle and watch movies with; hence, the evolution of “cuffing season." If you don't have a proper suitor when this time rolls around, you complain to your friends about the excessive amount of Netflix you watched alone last night.
5. School is hard.
How could I have time to call up “bae" when I can barely find time to grab lunch? It's amazing that people actually have time for a significant other while going out with friends and attempting to not fail out of school. This could very well be the reason why my current boyfriend is the fourth floor of the Undergraduate Library.
6. The friend zone
You may finally find someone you enjoy being with -- but don't let that fool you! If you are lucky enough to find a functional relationship with someone of the opposite sex where you can talk for hours and go on real dates together, there is a 90 percent chance you will be placed in the friend zone. No one wants to lose that consistency, so they would prefer to be just friends rather than risk being happier by actually dating.
7. The “What are you looking for?" conversation.
In high school, when two people liked each other, it was assumed they would eventually end up in a relationship. Here, some people are focused solely on finding a date for the night, while others are looking to put a ring on it. This uncertainty leads to the dreaded day where you have to sit down and ask the other person where exactly your relationship is going. This can lead to happiness or, more often than not, an extremely awkward encounter.
8. The green-eyed monster: jealousy.
Temptation comes with meeting new people, and at a school with tens of thousands of people that is hard to avoid. Even if you may not be the jealous type, partying and going out typically yields situations that make you question the fidelity of your relationship. College is a buffet of beautiful people, and it is typical to worry if they will still choose you at the end of the day. Who really knows if that girl he's talking to, or that guy she's dancing with, is “just a friend."
9. Long distance.
Regardless of whether you date someone from your hometown or your school, you have to learn to deal with long distance relationships. Either way, there will be a point in time throughout the year when you are not together, which creates its own set of complications.
10. Options.
Lets face it: This is not The Bachelor. There is not a handpicked set of 20 compatible people walking out of a stretch limo for you to choose from. At a large university, it is extremely easy to socialize. With the abundance of people that might be good for you, how can you be certain you have found the right person? This plethora of options can be overwhelming, and scares many people out of commitment.
