Opinion

Forming relationships and dating is a common part of life. It’s a natural proclivity to want to share happiness with someone else. That is one of the many functions of human interaction on Maslow’s hierarchy of what people need as they grow into adulthood. When I think of what is the appropriate age to be in a relationship, I think of someone who is mature enough to understand what they are stepping into and what they will potentially have to do in order to keep the relationship healthy. So to answer the question of does age matter in a relationship? My answer is yes. The worst thing that can happen is a minor in a relationship with a legal adult. That can lead to problems, we see it happen on a daily basis.

You’re walking up the endless flights of stairs of Wilson Hall to get to your first class of your freshman year at Monmouth University and you finally get to room 312. You bond with the student sitting next to you (“Oh my God, I am so out of breath from those stairs”) and you two keep talking. Soon enough, the next thing you know, the two of you are inseparable. When you are not together, people wonder where the other is. The second you’re not together, you’re snapchatting and texting each other that you miss each other—it can be seen as pathetic, but you know it’s true!

I’m not sure if it is just me, but does anyone remember when we were told to love ourselves and the way we look? We were told not to worry because no one is perfect. We were told to own what we have and be proud! I can’t be the only one confused by the contradictory message being thrown at us from these contouring and other new makeup trends attempting to achieve this previously said ‘impossible perfection’.

Whether you work for Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, or Rook, baristas know what it’s like to handle people who want “their” coffee. If you took a look behind the counter, you’d realize it’s not as easy as one might think to work in a coffee shop. It’s not simply pouring coffee from a pot and handing it off—that’s a really insulting assumption. Everything is complicated, whether you’re cleaning, making drinks, calling the line or working the register. Baristas are excellent multi-taskers, and I pity the person who thinks it’s a brainless activity to work in a coffee shop.

Hookup culture, love it or hate it, it seems as though it is here to stay. I rarely hear of anyone actually asking someone on a date anymore, but I have faith that there are some people out there that still have date nights and actual conversations about life. So many of us ~romantics~ find it hard to catch up with this hookup culture.