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Illustration by Barry Lee.

The world of college dating is a unique thing. It’s a strange hybrid of high school dating where the pool of singletons is so small it’s nearly incestuous. In high school, people date the same people who are always around. In the adult world, dating expands to an entire city. It branches off to people from more diverse backgrounds, different age groups and different social circles. Dating as an adult means a clean slate with every new relationship.

In a college atmosphere you have the chance of meeting someone from a different part of the world with a different perspective. Similar to high school, the college environment enables couples to engage with each other during the school day in and between classes, something that adult-world couples don’t usually have. Finally, what makes the college dating experience unique is the fact that most students live in the same general area. “There’s just something about seeing people naked, and then seeing them the next day in the Hub,” said Cara Mayuski, second-year sculpture student.

For students experiencing their first time away from home, college can offer a variety of new experiences. Curfews don’t exist and students can come and go as they please with whomever they want. Students have most of the luxuries of being an adult without the bulk of responsibility.

At a school like SCAD, this is especially true. With a mostly female student body and a sizable amount of homosexual male students, SCAD’s dating dynamic is a bit complicated. “I think its terrible,” said Codi Glancy, third-year photography student. “Most of the straight guys at SCAD are either jerks or not single.”

For gay males, dating at SCAD can be just as complicated. “I find that a lot of gay men at SCAD are too effeminate for my liking,” said Mario Samayoa, second-year fashion student. “I typically go for more masculine guys, and they’re in short supply here.”

Since SCAD is such a small, tight-knit environment, singletons often find themselves competing over the same people. “Everyone is in a clique [at SCAD],” said Glancy. “Girls and guys within the clique are all dating each other. Typically two girls like one guy and it just becomes drama.”

Young college students are infamous for not wanting to settle into committed relationships. “There are a lot of reasons why male students don’t want to be in relationships,” said Aaron Thompson, fourth-year graphic design student. “You’re away from home, so many girls are giving you attention and you don’t want to settle and stick to one girl.”

The drama of competition and broken hearts isn’t the only thing that prevents students from wanting to date each other. Kadem Abram, fourth-year graphic design student, blames the small community for his reason for not dating. “SCAD is such a small place, so if you’re dating someone, it suddenly becomes everyone’s business,” he said.

Students who manage to date someone exclusively at SCAD experience something really special. “Most college students haven’t been in a real relationship before college,” says Thompson. “Dating at SCAD is a beautiful thing. I’m dating Amie [Brink, third-year photography student] while she is discovering herself as an artist and vice-versa.”