College reminds me of a Nestlé Wonder Ball (“Oh I wonder-wonder-wonder, what’s in a Wonder Ball?”) because there is a layer of milk chocolaty goodness that deceives students into believing how happy-go-lucky college relationships are. However, instead of finding fun, colorful, shaped candy, it is like opening a box of lust and temptation, courtesy of Pandora. Students cannot deny that they have looked over at the nearest female or male, at least once, and thought, “Hey, I wish I could hook up with that.” This may not come off as much of a shocker, but the punch line here is that there are a rare few who are still dating their high school sweethearts or dating someone who does not attend Binghamton University (no way!) and are having a difficult time adjusting to the social life.
I am sure that there are students who have come across someone who has cheated or even thought about cheating themselves. Recently I realized that it is partially out of convenience. Proximity comes disguised as attraction. Girls flirt with boys and vice versa because they happen to be on the same floor or same building. People end up “unconsciously” chasing after someone else even when having the “perfect” relationship back home (understandable when the new interest is in walking distance and hot). But the depressing notion is that it is not enough; having that “perfect” relationship is either too perfect or far from perfect: no drama, no exhilarating flirtation and no happiness. There need to be new experiences and new stories to tell, like how Bob was piss drunk or how Bob tongued a random individual or how Bob contracted a venereal disease from so and so. The main idea is that there needs to be growth in college, a level of maturity that needs to be achieved through fresh experiences separately. Unknowingly, many couples are searching for this, which results in cheating or breaking up to obtain this end. They just want to fit in with the single crowd, and sometimes having a long distance relationship is worse than being single.
The second half of this maleficent theory is the chase. I learned one thing from watching “The Brothers McMullen” the other day and it is the thrill that drives human beings to give into temptation — the cunning ability to get away with committing a sin. It has become typical to ruin what may be the best relationship in one’s life by cheating or by wanting to live life more thoroughly. Ultimately, reliving the adventure of meeting someone new and appealing has become a popular pattern for college students. This is not commenting on those students who have a relationship on campus (that is a whole different issue), however, it is commenting on why humans, college students in particular, are easily swayed by a new love interest.
This implies that every relationship will fade and die. However, allow me to re-abuse the Pandora analogy: lust and temptation are not the only contents that escape from Pandora’s Box, but hope as well. Thus I shall end on the hopeful note that not all high school sweethearts or long distance relationships will fail if there is mutual respect and honesty (and some extra kinky play).