Relationships do not disappear when one graduates high school. Instead, dedication to academic relations strengthens.
Dedication is no mistake. Students commonly have more motivation when they have an end goal. Psychologist and Director of the Counseling Center at Missouri State University, Dr. Allicia Baum said that relationships with purpose serve as incentives.
“When you’re dedicated to something you work hard towards it,” Baum said. “Dedication is intentional. Having a relationship that’s just there because it’s convenient, is not intentional. If you really want a relationship to be successful, you have to build intentionality into the relationship.”
For students to evolve mentally and academically, the relationships they have with one another can not feel suffocated.
“Being dedicated to a relationship means that you have to accommodate change for people who want to evolve as they grow separately from one another,” Baum said.
Academics and personal life can be seen as a see-saw, difficult to find a middle ground where both benefit. Baum said putting one in front of the other is not always simple.
“If you are in a relationship with a person you go to school where you get to see them regularly,” Baum said. “Balancing the time and figuring out how to meet both of your goals while also prioritizing each other can be a challenge.”
Hannah Ament, a freshman general business major at MSU is in a committed relationship for 3 months. The dedication she has to her partner and school life helps create a healthy balance between the two.
“It’s just trial and error,” Ament said. “Just figuring out when you do have time to not do work or goof off.”
Finding that perfect balance between school and relationships requires constant adjustment. Combining social time and school time is a good way to connect while also getting things done.
“That dedication, you balance it with your relationship,” Ament said. “If you guys are hanging out, you can be doing schoolwork.”
Justin Taylor, Ament’s partner, is a freshman marketing major at MSU. He said making time for your significant other is important. Losing track of that time and neglecting schoolwork can run one off track.
“You think you have time, so you do a little procrastination and then you put yourself in a hole,” Taylor said. “That’s hard to dig out of, only because you wanted to spend time with someone.”
Trying to juggle responsibilities highlights how easy it is to fall behind in classes.
“It’s very hard while having a job, classes and school work to balance everything,” Taylor said.
Balancing multiple responsibilities at one time expresses the need for personal time over school work.
“Sometimes I would procrastinate on my homework because I wouldn’t wanna do it,” Ament said. “I’d rather be doing something with him.”
Mutual respect for each other’s workload creates a safe space for growth and connection.
“Part of being in a relationship is seeing the other person grow,” Taylor said. “You don’t want to watch your partner get stagnant, and you would hope that they’re dedicated to something.”