College Being

Leon Harris is a writer for Pick Up Artist where you can find great tips and advice on dating.

Working the love angle is part and parcel of going to college. You’re finally free of the many restrictions imposed by the parental units and you can spend the night with whomever you please, strike up a relationship with someone your folks would never approve of, or date any hottie that walks by your door. It is a time of experimentation in so many ways, and finding out whom and what you like by swimming in the dating pool often is pretty much par for the course. But what if you fall, and fall hard, for someone who lives in your dorm? Is it a good idea to pursue it, knowing that it most likely isn’t fated to last (and you’ll have to face that person for the rest of the year at the very least)? Should you just throw caution to the wind and give it a go, or hold back and risk losing out on what could be the love of your life?

Many people live by the mantra “it’s better to regret the things you do than the things you don’t do”. This is well and good for people who don’t mind getting their heart broken and then living with the repercussions. You may not know it yet, but most companies prohibit (or at least frown on) interoffice dating. Can you guess why? It’s because people who date and don’t stay together rarely want to see each other afterwards. Usually one party is spurned by the other and this inequality of emotions can lead to tension and other complications if the two are in forced proximity. In short, don’t mess your nest.

This sentiment also applies to dating people in proximity to your home, which your dorm room is for the next several months. Think about passing this person in the hall or bumping into them constantly after they have broken up with you (or you have unceremoniously dumped them). Is that really something you want to deal with? Will you end up learning their schedule just so you can avoid them? Will you be jealous when you see them with other dates after you? These are all valid concerns that should be addressed before you hop in the sack with your would-be BF or GF from down the hall.

On the other hand, you should never turn down a shot at love. If you’ve had the hots for this person for awhile, they seem to like you as well, and there is a fair amount of chemistry and compatibility (all good indicators that a few dates could blossom into a more long-term situation), then perhaps you should take the plunge. After all, you could always move to another floor (or dorm) if it doesn’t work out the way you hope. The truth is, you need to make an assessment on a case by case basis. If it feels right, go for it. If you harbor a lot of nagging doubts that you can’t seem to dispel (and your friends hate them), then it’s probably best to move onto Mr. (or Mrs.) Right and leave Mr. Right Now in the room down the hall.