Scott BresslerEven as they sit in class, passing notes to each other or comparing test scores, the professor may not even be aware of their relationship beyond the classroom.
No matter what the circumstance, lovebirds across campus are finding fulfillment in lectures, language classes and studios.
“We met in Arabic class,” said junior Thom Wall, who has taken multiple semesters with his girlfriend. “She said she was the one that sat next to me, and I say I sat next to her [first]. It’s a point of contention between us.”
Wall has had classes with his girlfriend every day of the week, which he says he enjoyed because it gave them an opportunity to see each other during an otherwise busy schedule.
“It gave us an excuse to talk more,” he said. “It was more meaningful than a lecture class.”
Junior John Monnat, an architecture student, also met his girlfriend in class. Although there’s little division between their work and leisure atmospheres, Monnat says he values the time with his significant other.
“[Class makes it] easier because we can see each other, but [it’s] harder because there’s no boundary,” he said. “We were both in studio every day for hours. There needed to be some sort of boundary, but it being a constant thing was a good thing.”
Marketing major Ali Crouch, a junior, has had a different, but still positive experience with her boyfriend-a fellow marketing student-in business school lectures. She said that being with him makes it easier to pass the time.
“Sometimes we end up writing stupid notes to each other and get distracted that way,” said Crouch. “Mainly I don’t pay attention as much as I would if I didn’t have someone next to me talking to me. But if the class is boring, you have someone entertaining next to you.”
Crouch said that she also enjoys studying with her boyfriend.
“It helps to study together and we only have to buy one book for the class,” she said. “It helps to have a second opinion when we’re studying.”
Monnat said that being in architecture makes it easier for his girlfriend and him to concentrate on the work because they both know how important it is.
“We both understand why we were in studio and why we spend so much time there,” he said. “We have a lot of common things to talk about.”
Monnat added that being architecture students also means they have the same social group. Because of that, classmates are comfortable with their relationship in a classroom setting.
“It would be hard if one of us wasn’t in architecture, because you get so focused in that group of people and in the projects that you do,” he said. “It would be hard if someone wasn’t in the same environment.”
Although Crouch does not know everyone in the classes she shares with her boyfriend, she figures that people have found out about their relationship.
“We’re not all over each other in class,” she said. “We come to class together, leave together and are in group projects together, so I’m sure it’s assumed.”
Wall’s experience in language classes was different regarding his classmates because the setting is so relaxed.
“The student/teacher dynamic isn’t quite the same as it would be in a lecture,” he said. “Arabic classes are pretty small to begin with. The class was maybe 12 people tops, so we were all friends.”
But Wall said that even though being with his girlfriend increased the time it took to study, he is glad to have had the experience.
“It took a lot longer for obvious reasons,” he said. “There are a lot of things that are more important than your GPA.”