The mental health of college students is often sorrowfully neglected. It is time to address one issue concerning a student’s mental health that can distract from homework, friends, family, and life goals in general: the long distance relationship. I have seen the mental health of my peers deteriorate in a matter of days, due to the stress and struggle that long distance relationships can put on them.
Let me explain my viewpoint.
In my dorm hallway freshman year, five of the twenty people began their year involved in a long distance relationship. First, there was Gracie. Gracie had been dating the same guy since high school, and she tried to transfer the relationship over to college. He was a student at Ole Miss, and due to the distance, their relationship deteriorated faster than the speed of light. They broke up in the first week of the first semester.
Next, there was Kelsey. Kelsey had a summer fling with a man in D.C. After moving 1,500 miles away for college, she kept trying to talk to him, attempting to transfer their relationship to the friend zone. He had a meltdown that led Kelsey to tears, and they never spoke again. The typical summer fling gone wrong.
Rachel fell victim next. She was so in love with her Delaware boyfriend; however, after six shots of tequila on Bourbon St, and one cute guy later, cheating came easier than she had ever thought. She confessed to her boyfriend, and Mr. Delaware dumped her by sunset the next day.
Andrew was perhaps the saddest story. He and his girlfriend were the picture of happiness, and both as straight-laced as they come. The girlfriend moved to Boulder for college, got into drugs, and dumped Andrew. He spiraled into a deep depression, and he had suicidal thoughts. After a year of therapy, he has made a full recovery.
And then came Genevieve, the most bizarre situation. She had one boyfriend before college in Portland, and naturally, they attempted to keep dating, even if she was 2,500 miles away. Well, Genevieve met a girl, and they became the best of friends. Two weeks later, Genevieve dumped her California boyfriend, for her new friend, a girl. College helped her realized she was a lesbian.
The stresses that a long-distance relationship put on a college student are tremendous. As these stories show, keeping love alive at great distances can be difficult at best. My advice to beginning college students is to start college with a clean slate. Avoid long distance relationships in order to make the transition to your new environment easier.
Remember, if love is meant to be, it will be!
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