Maintaining Healthy Relationships in College

Balancing relationships on campus can be a task. For new college students, the freedom can be quite overwhelming: Students are no longer under the microscope of their parents and can come and go and do as they please. As amazing as it sounds, however, it is key to remember the pros and cons of this autonomy.

Without an outside viewpoint, it is much easier to get caught up in detrimental relationships, both romantic and platonic. When you have so much access to another person, it becomes quite easy to take them for granted or vice versa. Sometimes you need a break from friends and groups to regain your own identity. This is ok. Always remember to make choices that are best for YOU. Are you in a parasitic friendship? Are they draining you and giving nothing in return? If the answer is yes, then you need to reevaluate the path of your friendship.

While friendships are important to keep healthy, the most dangerous relationships can be ones of the dating variety, as college-age students are the most at risk for domestic abuse relationships. Consider these statistics:

• 53% of victims of domestic violence were abused by a current or former boyfriend or girlfriend.
• 21% of college students report having experienced dating violence by a current partner and 32% experienced dating violence by a previous partner.
• 60% of acquaintance rapes on college campuses occur in casual or steady dating relationships.
• Nearly one third of college students report having physically assaulted a dating partner in the previous 12 months.
• Approximately 90% of victims of sexual assault on college campuses know their attacker.

Open your eyes and see the signs of unhealthy relationships. Whether it’s a friend or significant other, know when to separate yourself from situations that are not conducive to your educational experience and your health.

Chelsea Slaughter is currently a junior at Jacksonville State University majoring in communications (public relations concentration) and minoring in art. She serves as a resident assistant on campus, is the treasurer in the Public Relations Organization and is an active member in W.I.S.E., NAACP and Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Leadership Society. She aims to work in the entertainment industry post-graduation and is well on her way thanks to an internship with a digital marketer to several music artists. Chelsea strives to achieve all of her goals and motivate others along the way.