Couples find time, sex, money key to successful relationship

Photo by Miguel Cedillo
Business senior Nick Langel and Arts & Sciences and Business senior Mattea Campbell meet for dinner at the Skutt Student Center. Unlike some women he’s dated in the past, Mattea will pick up the bill every once in awhile, Langel said.

By CHRISTINE GALT
Special Section Editor

College students must find time to balance life, but making a commitment to another person can further complicate circumstances. A portion of Creighton’s campus is balancing this dilemma; about 16 percent of the total student population reported being married, said Daniel O’Reilly of the Registrar’s Office.

The three main problematic issues in the first five years of marriage are time, sex and money, according to a study by the Creighton Center for Marriage and Family. The study also indicated that 30 percent of divorces occur in the first five years of marriage.

While newly married couples face many obstacles, college couples face those same obstacles, only magnified, said Michael Lawler, director of the Creighton Center for Marriage and Family.

Photo by Miguel Cedillo
Langel and Campbell enjoy a goodbye kiss before class.

“It’s perfectly safe to say that time is always a problem for couples,” Lawler said. “The question becomes ‘what about young couples in college?’ Finding time to spend with one another and nurture their relationship can be difficult.”

Business senior Amanda Wiebel, whose fiancé goes to school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said distance has been a hindrance in her relationship.

“The biggest constraint on our relationship is definitely the distance,” Wiebel said. “But we felt it was important to experience our lives separately for a while so we wouldn’t be restricted to each other. Being able to change together is really important and that is why we are so fortunate.”

While many factors affect a relationship, each couple has a unique perspective on problems and dilemmas.

“The benefits to being in a serious relationship far outweigh the constraints,” said Business senior Nick Langel, who has been dating his girlfriend for two years. “When we first started dating, it was great meeting so many new people. I know that if I am having a bad day, she is always there to listen and offer advice.”

According to the Center’s study, the most frequent advice married couples would give to newlyweds was an emphasis in communication.

“You can see that the more time constraints you have, the less time you have for communication,” Lawler said.

Making time for successful communication may be important for most couples, but some feel that their relationships are based on more than healthy conversation.

“I know a lot of people who are scared of marriage,” Wiebel said. “There is no cookie-cutter relationship. If you are in a cookie-cutter relationship, you are probably going to fail.”

Though statistics may prove that young relationships are most vulnerable, every couple must confront these issues.

“When you put two people together, closely together, there is always going to be friction,” Lawler said. “The question is how do you deal with it?”