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Let’s face it, between classes, our social calendars, homework, spending time with family, our hobbies, extracurriculars, going to the gym, drinking enough water and just trying to succeed in life it can be so freaking hard to keep it all together and be in a monogamous, committed relationship. Some of us want to really make our college life as fulfilling as possible, and sometimes a monogamous relationship with one person is not gonna cut it.
Enter the Open Relationship.
A lot of times when people hear or think of an open relationship they think it’s just a selfish excuse to sample as many things off the menu as you can without having to commit to a dish. The reality is that keeping an open relationship together is ten times harder than being in a monogamous one and most people can’t handle it. But if you’re in college and you’re already committed to living your best life, sometimes an open relationship is the best way to go.
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but if you’re down to have an open relationship with someone it can definitely be done, and it’s not nearly as hard as it sounds. Here are our top 5 tips on making an open relationship work in college.
Communication Is Key
Your communication with your boo needs to be ironclad, especially if the two of you want to see other people. If there are cracks in the foundation like crappy and unstable communication, your relationship won’t stand a chance especially if there is a chance that other people will be involved. Make sure everyone’s on the same page and that the lines of communication are CLEARLY open if one of you need to discuss something or if something is bothering either one of you.
Have Ground Rules and Boundaries
Having very clear boundaries and ground rules will make things less messy in the future and will rule out any possible arguments, what-ifs, or slip-ups. Make things clear of what will and won’t be tolerated and the repercussions if one of you violate the rules and boundaries you’ve set into place. Be accountable for yourself and make sure that you are taking responsibility for your actions.
Respect Each Other
Avoid mutual friends and if you do hook up with someone else let your significant other know but leave out the details. You’re still in a relationship and this is a way of still respecting your partner. They wanna know if you’re with someone else-not what you are doing with someone else.
Play It Safe
Getting tested is something you and your bae need to do regardless of whether or not you both will be hooking up with other people. Knowing where you both stand in regards to your sexual health is important regardless of whether you stay together or hook up with someone else. And of course if you or your S.O. do hook up with someone else make sure you use protection.
Keep Things Private
As with any relationship whether it be open or monogamous, keeping things private and between only the parties involved make things run much smoother and eliminate any possible future drama. We’re not saying that if you’re gonna hook up with someone that they need to sign a non-disclosure, but make it clear that you both will keep your relations quiet and private and ask that they respect your privacy. If they aren’t with it or you find that they are chatty Cathies, keep them at a distance. Also, you don’t need to tell your hook up all the details of your relationship, only the bare minimum because it’s none of their business.
