Are high school relationships worth it?

Sophomores Robert Hernandez and Haley Amezquita celebrate Valentine’s Day and their five month anniversary. Robert states, ““Being able to see her every day. I wouldn’t have this opportunity without being here.”

Gisselle Talavera, staff reporter
February 15, 2023

With Valentine’s day coming up, many students wonder if their high school relationship is worth it or not. While many high school students want to grow old with their significant other, other students believe being single is better.

Marc Carbonilla (10) sxplians his unusual sign, “For Valentine’s day I jokingly decided to wear the sign in the photo as a way to express my opinion on couples, specifically high school couples. Truthfully I have nothing against couples but in high school I feel students should be well aware that a romantic relationship is very likely not going to last very long”.

The average high school relationship lasts about five months to a year, but in this day and age they last even less as social media typically influences the point of view of many teenagers and how they view relationships. Social media tends to encourage toxicity and unhealthy relationships. Controversy on social media apps (like TikTok, Instagram, etc) regarding relationships question whether they are worth the dedication or not. While many promote negative images concerning relationships, like cheating, lying, or abuse others promote the positives of a high school relationship. In addition, maturity levels and communication skills often differ among teenagers as they continue to grow and learn. Some students would rather put their energy into their friendships, grades, and themselves.

Kyle Florentino (left) and Yoselin Noriega (right) as they celebrate their 9th month anniversary 2 days prior of Valentine’s Day. Kyle believes, “Indulging into a relationship can be really complicated as a lot of factors in your life begin to change; there’s someone always supporting you unconditionally, someone who isn’t your parents or your siblings or in fact any other guardian figure, and this someone, to me, has allowed me to evolve into a better me that I would have never envisioned without her support and dedication.‘

While all high school relationships might not result in marriage, they still offer lessons in the process. Being in a high school relationship can actually provide students with positive effects and tips that they can use later on in life. Relationships help build character and maturity by teaching teenagers the effect they can have on other people’s feelings and how to build a bond, whether it be a relationship or a friendship. The Rochester Talon shares,“Each relationship a person goes through teaches both parties more and more about what they value in a partner. This ultimately makes them a better person and improves their problem solving-skills.” Having a relationship at a young age prepares students for future relationships and heartbreaks. 

Teenagers learn how to balance having a significant other, how other teenagers differ in opinion and preference, and what it feels like to be in love. 

Overall, relationships can serve a crucial role in the development of a teenager and can even help them grow as a person. While not all relationships last forever, growth does. 

Angelo Sarmiento (12) and Aeris Largo (10) have been together for more than a year. Aeris shares, “although there are challenges after high school, such as having a career and being a young adult, I enjoy living in the moment. Though teenagers are well-known for sometimes letting their hormones control them, it’s nice being in a relationship, and learning how to love someone else, whilst loving yourself”.