I was once in a long-term relationship. I have mentioned this in my past articles, but it is only right to reiterate based on my topic for this week — dating! Some background information for those who are curious is that, yes, I was in a very loving and committed relationship for almost six years.

We started dating in middle school, and he even became my high school sweetheart. We made it up to my first month of college until, unfortunately, it was time to end things.

I will not get into specifics, mostly because it's not fair to him to put our information on social media, but mostly because I would like to keep some of my private life private while I can...just in case I ever become rich and famous in the meantime.

Now that I am a newly single woman in my first year of college, I have become accustomed to the dating scene at school, and let me tell you, I was in for a culture shock. Being in college for the past six months, I can see that there is a very different view on dating than I had in high school.

In high school dating long term was the goal, now hookups are as serious as it gets.

Nothing is wrong with hookups in my mind, whether that is with one person or multiple people. However, I was startled when I came to college and everyone was proudly proclaiming their "numbers" or "this piece I found on Tinder."

In high school, it was frowned upon to excitedly say how many people you slept with in fear other girls were going to judge you or the guys were going to think you were a slut.

Now, in college, you're the weirdo if you've never drunkenly fallen into the lap of some stranger and ended up in their bed at the end of the night!

People in college don't date, they "talk."

Ah, yes, the term "talking." The worst slang that has ever been made up, like, ever.

"Talking," for those of you who don't know, is a term young people these days use to describe a relationship they have with someone that consists of all the same things couples do but without the commitment.

It is dating but without the same obligations and label of being a couple.

Luckily for me, I have background knowledge of actual dating, and let me give you a quick PSA: "talking" is the equivalent of "dating." It is not fooling anyone.

No one wants anything serious because they want to "work on themselves."

This is a totally accurate statement. I believe as a college student it is important for all of us to have time to work on ourselves, develop our qualities and become better people.

However, I have learned that no one thinks quite the same as me when I think of this term.

Typically, most people use this line as an excuse to really just say they are here to have a good time. They aren't looking for commitment or a relationship with anyone, they simply want to be alone, independent or at the very least- get laid with no attachments.

I do not reject any of these concepts.

I actually understand the dating (or lack thereof) scene of college.

I understand why Ken and Barbie are only "talking" rather than dating.

I have used the excuse "I'm working on myself" to avoid the "why are you single?" question.

I understand why that guy wants to only hook up with girls.

I may not participate in all the above-mentioned activities, but I understand them and why it works in college now.

I have played both sides of the field.

I have been the long-term girlfriend and the flirty girl-friend you made in your COMM 100 class. I don't think I'm better than anyone because I have dating experience, nor do I think I'm better than Becky because I got three guys numbers on my phone from the other night.

The truth is, in college, everyone's relationship and stories are different. There isn't a general truth to all relationships in college like the way I thought it was in high school.

However, my opinion stands that the dating scene of college is unlike any other.

There is no "right" way of doing relationships.

Whether you're the hopeless romantic, in a committed relationship, the "here for a good time guy" or something in between, it is important to make sure not to put your worth in the hands of anyone you meet at school.

Don't forget that your relationship status doesn't make you valuable — you as an individual makes you valuable.