Jarrett: Relationships are worth it

She has green eyes, gentle lips, silky black hair and the ability to speak to me without saying a word — no wonder I’m head over heels for such a woman.

Love is a miraculous thing. My world spins and then falls into place at the very thought of the person I love.

This person, my girlfriend of two and a half years, has helped shape me into the man I am today. Despite life’s pain, suffering and emotional turmoil, a single kiss and a warming hug from her can magically transform chaos to peace. We hold each other up and help one another stand, regardless of the things that come between us.

When in love, you push through hardships to make it work. But not everyone sees things this way.

In college, people often wonder if it’s smart to engage in a romantic relationship. Is it worth the time, the sacrifices and the compromising? Maintaining a romantic relationship can be challenging and exhausting. I know people who’ve ended relationships to get rid of “baggage” or to give themselves more “options.”

But that is just the easy way out.

Life can be a living hell at times — uncertainty, stress, late nights spent crying and the pressures of everyone’s expectations cave in on me. Though I’m emotionally strong, keeping composure can be a struggle. During these times, I wonder how much more I can take and whether I should seek comfort in someone else’s arms.

But when everything in my life feels wrong, my girlfriend feels right. She is my solace. When I crumble, she is my redemption.

I imagine her behind me, wrapping her arms around my chest and whispering into my ear, “Everything will be okay. I love you.” My heart melts and I close my eyes, feeling the warm embrace of her tenderness. Happiness washes over me, stirring something deep down inside. Miles away, my worries have lost their iron grip and I am then truly blissful.

It sounds too heavenly to be real, right? It’s not. But this moment of intimacy is only attainable if you give love a fighting chance.

The choice to maintain or begin a relationship in college is yours alone. For some, it can complicate their lives. But for others, it can change their world.

I’ve often heard people wait to develop relationships until they work on developing themselves first. Though this idea, in principle, is useful for many, I say why not cut the time and do both?

Relationships help you grow on both a personal and emotional level with yourself and someone else simultaneously. Each step reinforces and cushions you while you work toward growth.

For example, my girlfriend and I both want a college education. She is still deciding what she wants to major in and where she wants to go. I know what I want and where I’m heading, which she supports and draws inspiration from while I talk her through and support the option that best suits her. Working together helps us individually as well as connectively.

I know what you’re thinking: isn’t it easier to give ourselves less to work on rather than trying to tackle so many things at once? Maybe. But if we take each problem day by day, plan ahead and work at keeping priorities in perspective, every ounce of effort put into a relationship is worth it. Romantic relationships are truly compatible with our everyday lives.

To love, or not love? That is the question. I choose love every day and don’t regret it. Don’t be afraid to start a relationship with someone you love. We all need that.

After all, it’s love that makes the world go round.

Dustin Jarrett is a first-year majoring in speech and language pathology.

Read the contrasting opinion by Amanda Eggert here.