Growing up, high school relationships are romanticized in books, movies and the media. They create unreal expectations of what high school relationships are really like. Once students reach high school many will find someone and some may have the ideal “first love,” but in reality no one is perfect and no relationship is flawless. It can be hard to meet people, especially when teenagers are still socially stunted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent isolation. High school relationships in general should be focused on having fun and simply exploring what it’s like to be in a relationship or dating.
It may not seem like it, but there is a distinct line between a relationship and dating. Dating is not exactly something that’s official, as in the name, it’s going on dates to find out more about another person and getting to know each other while considering being in a relationship with that person. On the other hand, a relationship is a much bigger commitment, depending on how serious the parties involved make it.
A relationship is more exclusive, and enters the boyfriend-girlfriend status. Some people think that high school students should not be a part of an exclusive relationship, that they should date multiple people and get to know more than one person at a time. In general, teens are too young to commit to one person because they are still figuring out life and the world around them. Many believe that teens committing to one person limits them from experiencing what it’s like to date different people with different personalities. High school students are also constantly changing and evolving as people, so it could be hard to be in a relationship while experiencing those changes.
Then, there are others who believe that the idea of dating more than one person at a time is outdated and not realistic for our generation. Frankly, dating itself has become uncommon at Marshfield. When trying to casually date, the people involved are automatically labeled throughout the school as in a relationship–whether that’s established by them or not. People can go from simply talking to being in a relationship by word of mouth.
When it comes to knowing if you should start dating, it’s relatively common for people to start dating in their teen years, but not everyone has an interest. In the end, it should be determined by the maturity level of a person. Some people take longer to be ready for a relationship than others, and that’s perfectly normal. Any dating or relationships in lower grade levels, like middle school and elementary school, are usually just a label and nothing more. As students get to high school that changes, for the most part.
Something that can be used to guide people into dating is social media. Social media plays a huge role in high school relationships, romantic or otherwise. It helps connect people and allows them to communicate and relate to each other outside of school.
Someone could argue that high school dating or relationships are not a good idea. They could argue that being in a relationship as a high school student could distract them from their schoolwork and make them lose focus. However, a relationship doesn’t have to equate to a loss of focus.
As a student, one of the concerns of being in a serious relationship in high school, especially as a senior, is what’s going to happen as they graduate and move beyond high school. Life will most likely drive them apart and long distance relationships are really hard to maintain especially at a younger age. If they strive to become high school sweethearts it might end well for them, but the chances of high school relationships lasting are extremely low. Not to say it’s impossible, just difficult to accomplish.
Dating and being in relationships at this age is important for progression in future relationships, it sets us up to be ready for talking to people outside of the school walls. It gives the opportunity to discover more about oneself and others. Whether you’re dating seriously or not, you’re still creating memories and having experiences that will last a lifetime.
