Love in the time of college, August 23

It seems that this summer was the breakup season for many. The truth is, for us college students, the dating game is often rather complicated with schedule conflicts and there is always a risk of getting hurt in the end.

When couples get involved in a romantic relationship it's sometimes the fear of commitment  that will eventually hit a dead end.

For those who may have hit that wall during the summer, the new semester can be a time to start over with a clean slate. Wipe away any tears and start fresh aiming, once again for perfect love or a renewed interest in your academic career.

Something good can always come out of a breakup. It helps you learn from your mistakes. Isn't that how we learn in the first place? If we hadn't made mistakes, then we wouldn't have learned how to make things right.

Enjoy what is, without being preoccupied with what comes next... and what comes next might just surprise you. Perhaps this breakup can lead to another great thing. But it can't be forced, it will just happens when you least expect.

With that being said, students in a relationship during college may have obstacles. The sad truth is, having vastly different schedules can be a major impediment to romance.

There are always the conflicting schedules of one's routine in the day. Perhaps you're that waitress who slogs the night shift from 3:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. five nights a week, while he just lies around his home all day. Or maybe one has night classes, while the other day classes or there's always that part-time job/internship that keeps you preoccupied during the day.

My best advice is this: surely we all have our priorities of what comes first in our daily routine. However, as college students, we have been taught throughout our years that we must learn how to manage our time accordingly. Timing is everything and if we can learn how to find time for one another, then you can create a more profound and deeper relationship.

I've heard that friendships make the best relationships, so try to balance a friendly relationship with love relationship. For those times when you can't see each other there's always today's technology where opportunities to call or text message during the day are a given. So the next time you and your date have a hard time getting your schedules in sync, remember that it may do the two of you some good in the long run. And if things just don't seem to be working in your relationship, know this:  when a door shuts another one opens.

Beatriz A. Castañeda may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.