Breakups are never easy.  Most college freshmen have either had a girlfriend or boyfriend by the time they enter college and most likely they have been through some rough times before the tough times of the college years even begin.  Most people you talk to will tell you it’s best to enter college single. It’s the way to go and it’s safe.  You have the chance to meet new people and learn to grow in a healthy way.  Some college students are lucky enough to get this chance to start off on the right foot but then tend to go down a very dangerous path. Something that I wish I knew when I was a freshman would have been to date outside my major.  Dating within your major may seem like a good idea at first.  The problem with this is that if a break up happens later on down the road, you may be forced to see this person in almost every class or activity you have for school.  This could make things awkward for you and as a result you could start to pull yourself out of social situations. This is not good.  Let’s say, for example, that you are a Communication major and you start dating someone that’s in the Nursing program.  If you break up, then you’re safe. You won’t have any classes with them and you know that your chances of running into them on campus will be slim to none.  But, if you date someone else in the Communication program and break up, you will still have chances in having classes with them, or running into them outside the Communication building or classrooms.  You might even get paired up with them in a group project.  Don’t let your grades slip just because of a guy/girl.  There are many fish in the sea and snagging someone outside your major could make you feel more at ease and you may be able to relax more in that relationship and end up having a stronger bond in the end.

If you date someone in the same major as you watch out! You might find that you are competing in similar things.  If you are both in the Nursing program you may find yourself arguing with your significant other about things you are learning in school. You also might find yourself starting to get bored with this person because he or she is talking about the same things over and over again that you already know about.  Dating someone who is majoring in something different than you could result in more interesting conversations and the chance to meet different people, which is the overall goal for your social life in college.  Don’t limit yourself to just a certain group of people to hang out with.  So, unless you plan on being friends after you break up, then go for dating within your major! Otherwise, I would recommend sticking to dating someone who has different interests than you.