2008 Woodie Awards
Balancing School, Relationships Can Be a Challenge
Sharese Mirzakhanyan
Issue date: 5/28/08 Section: Features
As you flip through the pages of the GCC catalog you'll never find Relationships 101 or Love 120. But just like math and English, relationships are part of our every day lives.
Individuals have their own view of how relationships may or may not affect studies. Some state that relationships will cause many problems and others argue that relationships do not affect studies whatsoever.
Psychology professor Jessica Gillooly believes that relationships affect studies in two ways.
As long as one's partner is supportive then there is a positive outcome. The partners must understand that as students, one must allow the other sufficient time to study.
If they are both pursuing their education, then they can both benefit from the relationship. They may study together and help one another reach their goals. "Together they can move toward their degree," Gillooly said. In other words, the main factor is support.
However, relationships can also have a negative influence on a student's studies.
"If one person values education and the other doesn't, then their priorities are split," Gillooly said. In this case, the partner will have a negative affect on the student causing him or her to fall behind in school.
"Parents can also make it difficult for students to maintain good grades. Some parents do not understand what college is all about and may interfere in their children's education," Gillooly said. Parents may question students' use of time, particularly if they spend many hours in their rooms reading.
According to the context effect theory in psychology, students have a tendency to do better in school when they study in the area where the information was first presented.
"I advise students to study outside of their homes. They can go to the library on campus or any other library, study groups, and there are always empty classrooms on campus," Gillooly said.
According to some students, relationships are a big mistake during college years.
Individuals have their own view of how relationships may or may not affect studies. Some state that relationships will cause many problems and others argue that relationships do not affect studies whatsoever.
Psychology professor Jessica Gillooly believes that relationships affect studies in two ways.
As long as one's partner is supportive then there is a positive outcome. The partners must understand that as students, one must allow the other sufficient time to study.
If they are both pursuing their education, then they can both benefit from the relationship. They may study together and help one another reach their goals. "Together they can move toward their degree," Gillooly said. In other words, the main factor is support.
However, relationships can also have a negative influence on a student's studies.
"If one person values education and the other doesn't, then their priorities are split," Gillooly said. In this case, the partner will have a negative affect on the student causing him or her to fall behind in school.
"Parents can also make it difficult for students to maintain good grades. Some parents do not understand what college is all about and may interfere in their children's education," Gillooly said. Parents may question students' use of time, particularly if they spend many hours in their rooms reading.
According to the context effect theory in psychology, students have a tendency to do better in school when they study in the area where the information was first presented.
"I advise students to study outside of their homes. They can go to the library on campus or any other library, study groups, and there are always empty classrooms on campus," Gillooly said.
According to some students, relationships are a big mistake during college years.
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