Humans are some of the most social creatures on the planet and place a high importance on relationships. The term “relationship” can refer to a variety of connections, from friendships to intimate couples and beyond.
Healthy relationships require honesty, trust and respect and take effort from both parties. They involve compromise and mutuality and allow both people to be independent without feeling threatened or unsafe. In romantic relationships, this includes communicating effectively about sex and intimacy to ensure both partners feel satisfied within their sexuality. They also include a mutual commitment to make time for each other and remember details about each other’s lives.
These relationships can be as casual as acquaintances, whom you might see in the halls or pass by on campus and say “hello,” or they can be as committed as a civil union, which offers the same legal rights of marriage but doesn’t provide federal benefits. Whether they’re romantic, casual or professional, they are all relationships and some of them may be healthy while others are not.
The most important thing is that you are in a relationship with someone who makes you happy, who brings out the best in you, and who understands you in ways that other people can’t. This person should bring a sense of butterflies to your stomach when you’re around them, and they should inspire you to be the best version of yourself. This connection, however, isn’t always easy to find. Often, the hardest part of maintaining a relationship is finding the strength to know when it’s not what you want.