While trying to figure out a topic for this week, I thought about all of the questions people ask me, the relationship girl:

Did you come to college looking for a boyfriend?
Do you not like dating or hooking up?
How did you know he was the one?

Personally, my relationship isn’t very clear cut. We still don’t really know when our anniversary is. It all started out with the girl living across the hall from me freshman year asked if she could set me up with one of her friends from high school. He came over and we watched a movie with a bunch of our friends.

The night ended with me and him making out on our mutual friend’s bed.

We hung out a few times that week but he ended it by informing me that he wasn’t looking for a girlfriend. I didn’t see or hear from him for 3 months after that! But once I did see him again, we became friends with benefits (for lack of a better term). Neither of us wanted anything serious, and I was perfectly fine with it. I liked kinda/sorta having a guy, but I also liked the idea of not being tied down in college.

But then something happened that neither of us really expected. We went to our respective homes for the summer after freshman year and we talked every. single. day. I even drove 6 hours to spend a weekend with him. We really missed each other! We both kinda realized at the same time that not seeing each other was harder than expected. Once sophomore year rolled around, we were both skittish about broaching the subject, but he (finally!) asked me to be his girlfriend.

Flash forward to now, and we’re living together in our junior year of college. In all honesty, the dating and getting to know one another part of our relationship technically happened before our relationship. Once we became official, we dove in head first! Some might say it’s fast, but I like being young and in love.

With everybody and every relationship, that point where you realize you truly love someone is different. For me, it was noticing that my day just wasn’t complete without seeing or hearing from Matt. For others, it may be when you first say “I love you” or when he sees you without makeup and calls you beautiful. Sometimes you see it coming from a mile away, other times it hits you when you least expect it.

It can be scary because you’re taking yourself off the market; I hated the idea of not being able to flirt with guys at parties anymore! But at the same time it’s comforting because you know you have someone who loves you very much. And when you have that, you realize it’s better than any party makeout session any day.

Many colleges are now considering implementing a degree program that would allow students to graduate in three years.  This could provide some students with access to higher education that they may not have otherwise have had, saving them time and money.  But what are they losing (if anything)?

When I think back to my freshman year, I remember a time of mass confusion. I tried three different majors before I found my place. I dabbled in tons of different departments to figure out where I belonged. Would I have been able to do that and graduate at the end of my junior year? Hell no. Would I have been prepared to enter the real world at the age of 20? Um, I’m not even sure how I’ll handle it next year!

And what about the other stuff – the life lessons? The post-21 partying? The road trips, the friendships, and all the other stuff that comes with a 4 year college degree. Ok, so maybe that’s not the really “important” stuff, but it is the stuff that makes us who we are as adults.  Would a three year program take away from the entire college package?

There is no set three year model in mind. Some schools might just lower the credit requirement for a degree, other schools might require you to attend summer classes.  General education requirements would still be in place (they are, after all, the hallmark of the American education system…unfortunately), but it’s unclear how they would fit in with the new streamlined degree requirements. Most likely: really long days… and no 4 day weeks.

Obviously, with all the details up in the air, this is an issue that needs some attention, and who better to decide what is best for college students than college students? Tell us what you think: is a shorter program worth it, or is three years not enough to get a true college experience and education?