How low can you go?
Everyone says there is an age limit to dating in high school. Say a freshman walks into the school and a senior says they are good looking. How would you take it? Would you say they were being a creep?
“If the grades don’t touch, neither should you.” This expression is common knowledge among highschoolers.
A senior can date a freshman in college and a junior in high school. A junior can date a senior or a sophomore, etc.
Should dating be about maturity or actual age?
Senior Eric Gichobi said, “Both are kind of important. You definitely shouldn’t be dating someone that is super super young, even if they are by your definition mature. Even people that are your same age aren’t mature; you probably shouldn’t be dating them.”
On the other hand, senior Hailey Gerlikowski says maturity is a major factor.
“Maturity is important because if you’re at the same maturity as your S/O, the relationship will likely work out and be healthy,” she said. “However, if you’re 18, you shouldn’t be dating underclassmen.”
Does TV/movies/social media make a big impact on dating nowadays? It is very easy to find dating age gaps weirder due to the way people portray it as normal and making it seem OK just all around.
Junior Dean Walters says, “Yes, it makes it seem worse, and way more weird.”
Asked what advice he would give to a younger student thinking about dating someone older, junior Logan Frisque said, “If you like them, go for it.”
Some may argue that dating in high school prepares people for dating later in life, some may argue it doesn’t. Dating in high school prepares students for dating in college but not after high school.
Currently, students have pre-set schedules because of school, but after students graduate they don’t have to plan more to see them and hangout with them. It becomes more real because they’re not seeing them at school.
Does dating in high school prepare students for dating later in life?
“Part of it can and part of it won’t,” said junior Olivia Kennedy. “You learn how to care for someone and what you should do and what not. On the other hand, it could be a very immature thing, and there is a chance you won’t understand it when you’re older.”
Obviously, there are unspoken rules to dating in high school. There is a chance students will most likely get flamed for dating someone who is not “up to your standards” by friends.
Junior Logan Frisque said, “Kinda, there are school bops, and also age gaps.”
Anyone dating someone way younger has a higher chance to get called a “pedo” because their significant other is way younger.
As students go through high school, more of their perspective can change on dating. A student can walk into freshman year wanting to have a good time meeting the “love of your life.”
Students can leave never wanting to talk to anyone they have dated. Or they did find “the love of their life” and love high school. As people get older, perspectives change on everything, not just dating.
Logan was also asked if it is weird when a senior dates a freshman. He stated, “Yes, unless it is me.”
