…SHE SAID

My 30-something-year-old cousin came to visit me this past weekend. The first thing that came out of his mouth was, “Geez, Lynn, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you went to school in Los Angeles-certainly not Connecticut. Look at these people!” I must say, he’s right. After all, Fairfield definitely has its share of attractive students. And after a long summer, it seems those people that were mediocre in May are irresistible come September.

This “fall fever” would be ideal in a perfect world, a world in which people’s personalities were always exceptional. However, we all know such a place does not exist. Initial attractions often go awry after a short conversation, or perhaps after a few weeks of what you thought was paradise. I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t have crushes, meet new people, or date. I’m just saying to be wary of immediately dropping everything for someone who might later be a disappointment.

My advice is to keep things light for a while when first meeting someone who is a potential interest. Become friends, hang out, just try not to make it too intense-not right away at least. We all fall somewhere between the ages of 18 and 22, and looking for love really doesn’t need to be a priority at the moment. Hey, if it happens, that’s great. But just don’t base your degree of happiness on your current dating status, there are way too many other things going on right now. We are only students here at Fairfield for four years, and the last thing any of us want is to look back on our college experience years from now and regret becoming seriously involved with the wrong person, all because he or she caught your eye in September.

This is much easier said than done. As I explained earlier, this campus is pretty glamorous. As being attracted to someone is definitely important, being attracted to who they are is a necessity. I know this is college, and you are probably thinking, “Who cares about all this anyway?” Well I do, and you should. Nobody wants to waste precious time and energy on just a face, or just a body. In summary, I give you this: Rule #1 = don’t chase after love. Rule #2 = really get to know people. And last but not least, Rule #3 = never underestimate the power of “fall fever.”