Students Get Older, Does Love Get Older Too?

Currently, the meaning of love and relationship standards can vary between individuals based on their educational level. A young elementary school student will have a different perspective on love and relationship standards compared to a college or high school student.

 

Everyone has a unique mindset that includes morals, but relationship standards will fluctuate as students get older because their values change as time goes on. Most four-year-old children will most likely not have the same interpretation of what love is compared to an adult. 

 

Second-grader Sarai Covarrubias doesn’t know what the word “love” means. It seems that people in her grade throw the word “love” around, making it appear as though their relationship standards are exceptionally love. Covarrubias discusses her friend’s perspective on love.

 

“Her name’s Chloe and she likes Eric, he’s a first-grader,” Covarrubias said. “She just told me that she was in love with Eric.”

 

It’s often easy to confuse a crush with love, especially at such a young age. Studies show how 80% of children have a crush on someone, with 60% of kids opening up to others about who they have feelings for and 40% of children keeping it private. (KH 2021)

 

Mia Gonzalez is a sixth-grade middle school student. She believes that her standards are high when it comes to relationships. Gonzalez claims that it is distracting when the guys in her class act goofy and she wants to find the perfect person for her.

 

Gonzalez believes that personality is the most important thing when it comes to relationships and her expectations. She seeks someone who is respectful, caring, and kind, but emphasizes that it’s hard to find that at this age. 

 

“I don’t think you could find love this young,” Gonzalez said. “I think everyone should be happy that, you know, they’re not gonna lie to you, that you could trust them and they won’t break it.”

 

High school junior Fabiola Martinez mentions how she was in a relationship before and genuinely had feelings for him. Martinez liked his funny personality but felt that they both wanted different things in life. She touches on how she is young and just wants to venture out and try new things.

 

“In general I think I have lower standards, honestly for me if a guy likes me then I like them back,” Martinez said. “I mean if they’re cute, that’s a plus, like if they’re not cute that’s fine by me. I feel like they have to be smart, I feel like they have to have goals and plans for the future and what they may want to do.”

 

Leslie Flores, a freshman in college, feels that children force themselves into wanting to be in a relationship because they cannot survive without one. Flores says that she has lower standards, but isn’t looking for a relationship right now because of how much she values her independence. 

 

“Well right now, how I see it, everybody’s getting pregnant, everybody’s getting married. And that is just, you know, that’s too much,” Flores said. “I honestly see it as a better thing not being in a relationship because you have no one controlling you.”

 

According to Campus Explorer, students that are in college would rather have a short-term relationship compared to a serious relationship due to the fact that it helps students focus on their goals career-wise and academically.  

 

Even though love and relationship standards come in so many different forms and understandings, it’s important to prioritize happiness one day at a time. 

 

“I feel like you shouldn’t have to depend on the person to make you happy, I feel you should be happy by yourself and content with yourself and being with someone is just a plus,” Martinez said. “They make you feel like you’re a better person because of them.”