Will you go out with me? Circle yes or no.
While receiving this note underneath the desk in middle school made many hearts flutter, going out didn't mean much more than holding hands in the hallway and walking around the mall on a Saturday.
Now, many students find navigating a relationship much more difficult, sometimes losing themselves in the shuffle.
Amber Mintz, a senior in fashion and apparel merchandising, said being in a relationship has its ups and downs.
"In the beginning, you still want to look pretty and get all fixed up," Mintz said. "I think over time, though, you don't worry about looks as much and kind of let yourself go."
Because people in relationships are so close, Mintz said, there isn't as much emphasis placed on how you look.
Kimberly Hardin, a graduate student in collaborative rehab with an emphasis on Autism, said she agrees that being in a relationship makes a person more comfortable with their appearance.
"I have definitely become more relaxed about the way I look," Hardin said. "In the beginning, if my boyfriend was coming over I would get up and fix my hair and change clothes, but now I am comfortable enough to
not worry about it."
Guys even find it easy to slip into a feeling of nonchalance regarding their appearance.
"Because you become more comfortable with your partner, you know that person doesn't care how your body looks," said Ardell Halston, a junior in political science. "When you are in a relationship, you start to care more about what the other person wants and what's important to them."
However, some students say being in a relationship is no excuse to stop taking care of oneself.
"I don't think it's really fair because in the beginning, looks do play somewhat of a role in your attraction," Mintz said. "You should still try your best to look hot for that person."
Looks are not the only thing that relationships can take a toll on.
Friendships and social lives also suffer at the hand of lady love.
"When you first start dating, it's tough to maintain your friendships because you are so consumed with dating someone new," Mintz said. "Once you have been together for awhile though, I think it goes back to normal."
Because people become so enamored with each other, she said, they find themselves spending all their time with each other, going on dates rather than going out with friends.
Hardin said her relationship of two years hasn't really affected her social life.
"I still go out with my friends and we still talk on the phone all the time," Hardin said. "But I do hang out with him and his friends so it's kind of like we spend time with our friends but we are still together."
Some students say maintaining a social life isn't a problem at all when entering a new relationship. In fact, Halston said it gets better.
"When I am not in a relationship, I have more of a social life rather than being contained," Halston said. "However, I think you end up making more friends than you had before because it is kind of like two groups coming together."
Being in a relationship is all about balance, said Mintz.
"For a relationship to work, you have to make time for yourself, your partner and your friends, in that order," Mintz said
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