People usually base their perspective of college on how it is portrayed in the media, even before they step foot on campus. That said, there is more to the college life than the stereotypes we usually see.

In particular, people really have the potential to find the loves of their lives in this wild, four-year experience. Just think about the countless amount of times married couples have said, “we met in college.” It truly is a time to find yourself and you could easily stumble upon “the one.”

It’s also important to note that the elusive “one” isn’t always found at college and a lot of students have long-distance relationships. Having a long-distance relationship is truly a commitment. Some students meet their significant other before college and stick it out with them the full four years, while others meet during college while going to different schools and stay together. There are also the people that meet at the same school but one of the partners is older and graduate earlier than the other.

For most, trust is the most important aspect for a long-distance relationship. Senior Jess Fiorentino has been in a long-distance relationship for over a year now. Her boyfriend goes to school at SUNY Cortland. They’re both originally from Brooklyn. Fiorentino said they both try to see each other as much as they can during the semester.

“Communication and effort is key,” Fiorentino said, on making a long-distance relationship work. “The only way things will work out is if you’re both communicating with one another about what makes you happy or not happy. Also, effort is important because it’s not going to be easy. You have to be ready for that going into it and have to keep the effort going throughout the relationship.”

With all that said, there are some people who prefer being single. Being single and independent can be important before being in a romantic relationship. Having a good sense of who you are and what makes you happy is crucial in everyone’s life. It’s usually not a good idea to go into a relationship looking for happiness, because you may develop a dependency on that person

. There is a fine line between having a loving support system and being dependent on someone else for your happiness. Therefore, be single for a bit to find yourself, instead of trying to find your sense of self in someone else.

Iona seniors Louis Sanzo and Steve Arniotes are best friends and have lived together for the past three years. They’re both single and are currently enjoy the lifestyle that comes with not being in a relationship.

“I believe it can be difficult [to maintain a relationship in college] with people’s time management,” Sanzo said. “Also, since there is a good-sized community of students, relationships can lose trust due to other temptations.”

Arniotes said that being independent is a good thing.

“I prefer being single,” Arniotes said. “Relationships are great, but I feel as if college is a place where you should be more or less focused on yourself and trying to grow up independently. [Relationships] require a lot of time and energy which are especially scarce resources when I’m away at school.”

All relationships are very different so it is important not to judge someone else’s relationship because you’re not the one in it.

“When we first started dating we had the same exact schedule, so we spent a lot of time together,” Iona seniors Taylor Dougherty and Danny DeNiro, who began dating their junior year, said. “It was definitely hard coming back the next semester and having different schedules and having to rework the communication.”

Iona seniors Katherine Lynn and Luis Mendoza started dating their freshman year in college. They met in a stuck elevator in Loftus Hall in October of 2014 and it was love at first sight.

“It is for sure hard to maintain a relationship in college,” Lynn said. “We were both struggling to find our path and the best way to let each other grow on our own as well as in our relationship. We have gone through hardships together but I believe that has helped us create a stronger relationship.”

Lynn and Mendoza’s relationship is a great example of a couple that met in college and stayed together, no matter what struggle was thrown their way.

Seniors Erika DeFlorio and Josh Calderon happen to be close friends with Lynn and Mendoza. Calderon is a member of the soccer team alongside Mendoza.

“Last semester was Josh’s last season playing soccer at Iona, and I had a full schedule of interning two full days a week and classes,” DeFlorio said on what it was like balancing a relationship with their busy schedules. “We both have our own lives and are the busiest while in school. Although he lives in Connecticut and I live in Long Island, our time is best spent on breaks because we have no other distractions like school, work and other activities.”

College is the best time of your life. This is the time you can never get back—once it’s over, it is really over. Therefore, make sure you are spending it surrounded by people that are going to build you up. Find the happy medium for you and your loved one, and let the good times roll.