Not all Princetonians get their loving on the run, according to some students this Valentine's Day. Though work does indeed hinder many from pursuing relationships, others claim that Princeton love can be a possibility for those who want it.
Many freshmen say they were surprised to see their friends pair off quickly after coming to school. Aware of Princeton students' reputation for being highly committed to academics and extracurriculars, these '06ers say they had assumed that dating was an anomaly.
"I didn't expect there to be a lot of people dating, but I find I know a lot of people in relationships," said Tarryn Chun '06.
Ruth Hunt '06 said that she had witnessed a similar trend, though the relationships were generally short-lived and not serious.
Though romance may exist at Princeton, some say that it manifests itself differently here than at other campuses. Most students either find themselves in a serious longterm relationship or settle for "hookups" on the Street, pointed out Shannon Donnelly '03. The "Princeton fantasy," she joked, is to have the latter turn into the former.
"I would say that having a relationship is pretty common. As far as going out on dates, I'd say that's more rare," said Andrew DiFillipis '03.
The dearth of casual dating may not be particular to Princeton. Many students said the reluctance to go on dates was more a characteristic of their generation than of this campus culture. Young people everywhere are busier and more "goal oriented" than they were in the past, said Megumi Itoh '03.
Also, unlike in previous generations when it was relatively rare for members of the opposite sex to live together and form intimate platonic friendships, this is the norm in most college dorms.
"Because men and women live in such close quarters and develop such close friendships, you develop a close circle of friends you can't see yourself dating," said Melissa Galvez '05.
Those presently involved in relationships on campus emphasized the importance of balance.
Chun said that she and her boyfriend were "very conscientious" of respecting one another's academic and extracurricular commitments. Though this type of organization can "really kill romance," pointed out Zach Goldstein '05, it is essential to making a relationship here work, he said.
Having witnessed many successful romances born and nurtured behind the gates of Old Nassau, these students said they are not convinced that people at Princeton don't have time for relationships.
"People have time to go to the Street," DiFillipis pointed out. "They just choose to do other things."
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