In almost every high school movie, we are introduced to lovable characters that make us believe in true love. Couples such as High School Musical’s Gabriella and Troy or Grease’s Sandy and Danny truly raise the bar for high school relationships, making it almost impossible to find the perfect match. However, at Novato High School there are plenty of couples that have supposedly found their match, and the question on everyone’s mind is: will they last? 

High school is a place for experiencing and growing. There are a lot of changes happening within each person and it can be hard to consistently balance relationships with other responsibilities in life.  Between classes, sports, and homework, it is hard to maintain a healthy relationship. 

When asked why her last relationship ended, Senior Kalea Stewart responded “We were just different people. And we are still so young and finding our paths still. I think that lots of people leave for college or, like they are going in different directions with different life plans. Even if you seem so similar at first, everyone just seems to branch out, especially at this age.” 

Adolescent minds aren’t fully developed, therefore it can be difficult to know what is or isn’t beneficial in terms of romanticism.  Apart from taking different paths, another common reason why most high school relationships end is because of lying or cheating. As sad as it is, statistics show that the longer a couple is together, the more likely it is for one person to cheat. Psych Central reported that “Over the course of your entire relationship, the chances of infidelity may rise to as much as 25 percent.” 

This percentage may sound low but the fact is that no teen consistently makes good choices.

In contrast, there are many couples who can claim that they were high school sweethearts. According to an article by Men’s Divorce, only 2 percent of couples around the world remain together through high school and into life. To put that into perspective, that is 140 million people out of everyone in the world. Teens of every grade have their own take on how long high school relationships can last and what the key to a long-lasting one might be. 

“Definitely trust.  Mostly spending time together. Quality time is best,” said sophomore Dylan Burness. His girlfriend Carly Graf, also a sophomore, agrees. “Communication and trust,” Graf mentioned. “I know it’s kind of cheesy but with neither of them, things just aren’t going to work out.  It’s hard to trust someone especially if you have any bad experiences from the past.” 

The couple believe there is a strong chance that they stay together through the remainder of high school, as they say that they have developed a trustworthy bond. 

Most people would agree that the worst part of a relationship is the breakup. Heartbroken and lonely, the only thing you feel like doing is crying and stuffing your face with numerous goods. However, there are many good things that come out of a breakup, specifically those that occur in high school. Brandon Gaille claims that statistics show that, “Only 19 percent of high school sweethearts attend college”. This statistic exihibits the harsh reality that being in a relationship limits your opportunities. Because teens are still so young and naive, we believe that one person can be our entire world. We tend to put too much time and energy into this person and into the relationship.

In the end, enduring the ups and downs of a high school relationship is important for ripening the young minds of teens. However, expecting the relationship to last until college might be questionable. Whether you base it on the experience of other teens or the proven studies, most high school relationships just don’t last. But don’t let the public claims or statistics deter you from coupling up. High school relationships give you experience and help prepare you for the future.