Open relationships need rules in order to be successful

College students and young people everywhere are entering into “open relationships” which are seemingly gaining more and more popularity. While the term is loosely defined and takes numerous shapes and forms, the absence of commitment is an underlying characteristic consistent throughout them all. The concept can be foreign and confusing to many, but also very understandable and reasonable to others. However, before young people decide an open relationship is for them, they need to establish strict rules and boundaries in order to maintain stability and keep emotional turmoil to a minimum.

Open relationships are common among college students because many crave the emotional security a significant other provides but also want to take advantage of the endless supply of available single students. Open relationships are not a recent phenomenon and have been around forever; only the label is new. Without a doubt the label gives your open relationship a better chance of lasting, but the underlying motives behind them will reveal a void in the relationship ultimately leading to its demise.

Open relationships satisfy the short-term goals of young people and provide a false sense of security. They allow for couples to “have their cake and eat it too.” However, people involved in open relationships are often merely looking out for their self-interests and lack an intense level of connection found in couples in more traditional relationships. In open relationships, commonly one party does not completely satisfy the needs of the other; therefore, the lacking party feels the need to explore other options. Although short-term interests are being fulfilled, open relationships serve as a cop-out option to traditional dating experiences and should be pursued with caution.