While most students are hoping to start a career after school, Kelsea Manthey will be applying for both a job and a marriage license after graduation.

Many students, like Manthey, have committed relationships in college and find that the support helps them with their studies. Other students, however, feel that a significant other would only divert their focus.

“I’ve never thought of being with anyone else, I think we’re perfect for each other,” said Manthey, sophomore visual journalism major.

Manthey started dating her fiance Corbin Hendricks, freshman pre-accounting major, when she was a sophomore at Cloverleaf High School in Lodi, Ohio. Hendricks proposed on Manthey’s 18th birthday and the couple has now been engaged for close to two years.

“We support each other through school because we know we both need school,” Manthey said.

Manthey also said having a relationship in college has helped her with school challenges.

“Ultimately, I think it’s good for our relationship because we’re learning to deal with things together and how to deal with more grown-up stuff,” she said.

Hendricks, Manthey’s fiance, said “Being together makes us happy and that’s good when things get stressful and upsetting.”

Although a relationship in college is helpful for some, not all students want to balance a relationship with school.

Kaitlyn Dugan, sophomore fashion design major, said having a serious relationship in college would be difficult to maintain.

“I think it would be harder to be dating in college because I have dance team and a double major and a lot of stuff going on. I am constantly working so it would be hard to fit someone else in,” Dugan said. “It wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

However, Dugan said that having someone to encourage her would be a good thing.

“It’d be nice to have someone there and have the support or when I don’t have anything going on and everyone is with their boyfriend, it would be nice,” she said. “But I do have my friends to make up for what I don’t have.”

Dugan said that college students have the rest of their lives to get married.

“What’s the rush? If I found the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, things (would) just work out,” Dugan said. “I don’t need a piece of paper and to finalize everything right now.”

Jane Cox, associate professor in counseling and human development services, said many people meet their spouse or lifelong partner in college and the success of the relationship is different for each case.

“It depends on the individual,” Cox said.

A relationship can be a positive influence on a student “if it’s a healthy one and encourages them,” she said.

Cox also said that the age at which people get married has gotten older.

“One reason may be the women are more able to be independent now,” Cox said. “There are, no doubt, many other reasons for why some people wait to partner. And there’s not quite as much pressure as there used to be to marry young.”

Contact Alyssa Morlacci at [email protected].