Why Dating in High School Isn't a Complete Waste of Your Time

Everyone hates family reunions. Even you, Aunt Susan. But who dreads them the most? The acne-ridden teens who bury their faces in status updates and sit by the food the entire time. That's who. No matter how hard they try to hide, Grandma's claws, Uncle Tim's stubbly beard, and cousin Petunia's Barbie play set always seems to be lurking around every corner. But worst of all are the questions. The "You still playing basketball?", "What are your grades like?", "Are you getting bullied? Who am I kiddin', with that haircut, of course you are!", and "You got a girlfriend? Dump her. Waste of your time." Ah. That last question is what really fries the rice. The last thing a teenager wants to share with the whole fam bam is their romantic life. Especially when the only advice they're being given is to sever all romantic ties until after high school. Sure, they're old and "wise" and "know what's best for you", but alas, we're in a different era, Grandma.

Dating in high school is a learning experience and is just as important as math or reading. The number one reason people argue against high school dating is that they don't think it will last. And most of the time it doesn't. But guess what? Toilet paper doesn't last either, but that doesn't mean it's not useful. Human connection is one of the most vital things to survival. And high school is all about surviving.

First off, you learn a lot about yourself and those around you through dating experiences. Maybe you didn't realize it before, but now that you're dating Brad, you find out that you absolutely cannot stand car talk. Especially when it goes on for more than an hour. You don't care about lug nuts, or engines, or the skiddly daddle under the metal thing. Now that you know this little bit about yourself, you can start narrowing your boyfriend/girlfriend criteria (after you break up with Brad, of course). Later, you might find out that you're the jealous type, or that you talk in your sleep, or that fan fiction you write should probably be kept in a private folder.

Personally, my first high school relationship opened my eyes to deeper issues in society. Specifically, immigrant rights. He told me how his relatives were undocumented, but were awaiting their legal papers. Unfortunately, they were taken away before their papers could reach them. This is something I had no idea even happened to people that I could be connected with. As a freshman, I was pretty oblivious to what was going on around me. From this relationship, I learned that some people had to work twice as hard to earn half as much as others. I learned that life is shorter than a pencil and I had to make the most of each day because our days are limited. And finally, I learned that you should treat everyone kindly because you never know what personal struggles they are battling each day.

Now, please do not read this thinking that you need to jump into a relationship to learn about yourself and others. In the end, you are what defines you and nothing else. Relationships are simply building blocks to reaching your full potential.

Happy reading!