FIU students talk dating in college

Cristina Gonzalez/Staff Writer

For many, dating is a part of the college experience. Whether you’re casually dating or in a committed relationship, navigating dating as a student can often be overwhelming.

“Dating in college definitely is not for everyone,” says Mikhailia Williams, a sophomore majoring in public relations, advertising and applied communication. “I personally don’t mind dating in college, but I rather not. If it happens, it happens,” she said.

For students currently in a relationship, like Jarille Molina, a junior majoring in communications, she says that it requires having balance and a set of priorities, but she feels it’s worth the work.

“Personally, dating throughout college is a wonderful experience if done ‘correctly,’” said Molina. “In my long distance relationship, we are both young and in college, but we live our own lives without crossing boundaries and having effective communication throughout the day,”

Between extracurriculars, classes and jobs, finding the time to date often seems impossible.  

“There is not enough hours in a day to be a full-time student and be in a committed relationship; One side is always going to get more of you, either your boyfriend or your education,” said Laila Zelaya, a junior majoring in sustainability and the environment.

Nowadays, online dating has become the new standard. Dating apps have changed the overall experience of dating, especially for college students. While meeting someone new has become as easy as swiping left or right, students share that there are both positives and negatives when it comes to online dating.

“I think Tinder and Bumble have completely changed the college dating scene,” said Maria Yow, a senior majoring in biology. “People are more likely to be themselves over text and apps like these so it’s better in a sense. However, it limits our face-to-face interaction and even our confidence when meeting people in person. It also puts extra stress on having nice pictures and looking a certain way. In other words, relationships focus more on superficial characteristics as compared to before.”

For Williams, she feels that technology has accelerated the dating process.

“Because of social media, it makes dating a lot different from how it was ten years ago. We find each other on Tinder or Instagram, send a message, go to the movies, and then boom you’re in a relationship,” said Williams. “It happens quickly; I feel like we’re not actually dating and getting to know each other before getting into a relationship.”

Although traditional dating still exists, Molina feels the dating scene in college is now mainly made up of “flings.”

“The generation that’s in college right now lacks a lot of knowledge on the qualities of actual dating and what it means to be in an established relationship. So, they create this ‘relationship’ with the other person and contact them when it’s convenient to them and vice versa,” said Molina.

Whether or not students prefer to engage in casual relationships depends on the individual, according to Yow.

“There is a larger ‘hookup culture,’ but not everyone agrees with this dating style. There are still a lot of people who prefer to be with someone on a longer-term basis and people who generally don’t like the hookup culture,” she said. “A lot of the people I have met that engage in the hookup culture are still open to dating long term. It all depends on the person and what it is they’re looking for.”

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