Valentine’s Day is just around the corner for Gables students, and relationships are flourishing more than ever. In front of the Ralph-Moore building, Cavaliers can buy Valentine’s Day Serenades for their special someone. Each year, the fourteenth brings much more than just romantic sentiment; some students express skepticism about the elusive feeling that is love. It is argued that during these four years love can be eternal, while others complain that these pairings are childish and fruitless. Among this debate, the question of whether or not high school relationships last is hotly contested. Although many relationships do not last after those four formative years due to immaturity, pressure and distance, that does not mean that these special connections are not worth it.

Many couples swear they will be together forever until they inevitably end things between each other. Some breakups are bound to happen, especially since teenagers can oftentimes be immature. High school is made up of pubescent teens with unpredictable emotions and not yet fully developed brains. This means that the way one may feel about someone can change from one week to the next. This, combined with drama, messy friendships, and the typical immaturity of the high school scene can cause an unforeseen split. Adults often criticize high school relationships because they believe there is no point since students are too young to even know what they themselves want.

Another issue that couples face is a lack of time in high school. With heavy workloads coming from assignments, extracurriculars, and sports, sometimes there just is not enough time for romance. Having a busy schedule can be so exhausting that students do not have enough energy to court someone else. Relationships take time and emotional effort, so adding another person to students’ list of priorities may be too stressful to organize. It is also a struggle to go on dates when options for young kids are limited and there are not many opportunities to go out for dates.

“I think you need a lot of communication and understanding. When it comes to college and stuff and you guys are separated you can talk and be with each other. If you are constantly arguing and do not know what is making each other mad things will never go anywhere,” freshman Beatriz Cruz said.

Even the most mature and healthy relationships may lead to separations simply because couples grow apart. One of the most significant things students experience throughout high school is going on a journey of learning about themselves. People change a lot as they make new friends and discover new interests. While on this path, people transform and better themselves, others become conform to a routine.  When this occurs couples may not feel close anymore and decide to just split up. Another issue that arises is when seniors have to leave high school and move to college, which can physically separate couples by hundreds or thousands of miles. This can lead to mutual breakups if it makes more sense than to try to stay together when the physical distance becomes emotional as well.

“I think high school relationships do not necessarily always last, but they are really important. High school is a time when people are finding their individuality and understanding who they are, so by making mistakes early on, you learn a lot about who you want to be in a relationship with. In my own relationship, Mr. De Armas and I were friends, so that type of relationship added on later in life, and knowing him in our youth helped in me getting to trust him,” chemistry teacher Mrs. Kiely said.

Despite these obstacles, some couples are able to overcome the odds that they face. As the saying goes, communication is key. If both partners are mature and understanding enough of each other, it is always possible for their love to last. By maintaining a strong friendship first and foremost there is hope for these couples. In fact, Gables has had its own successful love stories. Mr. De Armas and Ms. Kiely, for example, were good friends in high school and reconnected in graduate school before getting married. Ms. Noval, the history teacher, also met her special someone during her Gables years and they later married.

“I think that it depends on who is in the relationship. I know there are people who marry their high school sweetheart and some people who think they are going to be together and they break up after two years. Personally, I have been in a really loving relationship with my girlfriend Dani, and we have been together for almost eight months, and I am probably going to stay in Miami for college so I think she and I are going to make it work because she is the best,” senior Alexander Sutton said.

Love in high school will always be a very tricky thing. With all the pressure on students both inside and out of class, many couples do not make it very far, especially after graduation. Studies have shown that a meager two percent of new marriages in North America were from relationships starting in high school. Regardless of this, there is always hope for Gables’ relationships, who can derive their inspiration from power couples from former students who have stuck it out until today. This Valentine’s season we wish everyone a happy day of love and hope Cupid hits all the right people with his magical bow.