When a student enters their first year of college, they are bombarded with new experiences, viewpoints and people. 

From living away from home to late-night studying to parties, these first years now experience things completely different from their high school years. 

Some want to leave their high school memories behind to get the full “college experience” – including breaking up with their significant others.

Freshman fashion design major Amya Wingfield is one student who ended a relationship to have the “college experience” she envisioned.  

“I didn’t want to come into college with the stress of worrying about somebody else’s thoughts and opinions and them needing my full attention,” Wingfield said. “I knew I needed to focus on being here and doing my own work and my own journey.”  

The idea that coming into college while already in a relationship may hinder personal growth is common among incoming students. In 2010, journalist David McCandless compiled a chart of Facebook data and found that there was a spike in breakups over Thanksgiving Break.  

This phenomenon, known as the “Turkey Drop,” assumes that college freshmen have discovered their relationship is holding them back in some way after experiencing college for a few months, reporter Caroline Kitchener wrote in an article from The Atlantic.  

A theory from The Atlantic suggests that students may also end relationships in favor of the “college experience” if the boundaries of the relationship are obstructing the “college experience” goals.  

“The guy I dated was never comfortable with me going out with my friends really in any sense, but particularly in a party or bar sense,” Wingfield said. “He was very jealous that anyone would try to come up to me or talk to me.”  

The stereotypical “college experience” usually involves taking advantage of newfound freedom in the form of alcohol or parties. If their partner is uncomfortable with this, it is not uncommon for students to end the relationship in favor of the experiences they are expecting.  

The over-the-top expectations of college are often not the reality, as sophomore fashion merchandising major Danielle ‘Tippy’ Barnes learned.   

“If you asked me 2 years ago I probably would have said the ‘college experience’ is going to parties and doing this and that and making new friends and meeting all these people immediately,” Barnes said. “Now going into my third year of college I really do think it’s about not being afraid to be yourself and just finding those people who make sense for who you want to be as you figure yourself out.” 

Barnes, who ended a relationship shortly before her freshman year, attributes her decision to the naiveté of being in a new environment and not fully knowing what to expect.  

“I think coming into college I was immature and I thought that being by myself was the right move so that I could find myself,” Barnes said.  

Shortly after the beginning of her sophomore year, Barnes began a relationship.  

“I think now I’m in a steadier place,” Barnes said. “I have my life and my friends and I’ve figured myself out more, and I think now that I’ve been here for a couple of years and have a different idea of college it was just the right timing.”  

Wingfield holds a similar stance regarding a relationship in college.  

“Finding yourself, for me, is a big thing. So is meeting different people with different opinions and different values,” Wingfield said. “I hope I’m able to find that here, but I know I want to figure myself out before I try and find someone else.”  

Kaitlyn Mitchell is a reporter. You can contact her at [email protected].