Romance after graduation

Collegiate couples graduating May 3 have a lot more to worry about than just finding a job.

As if the burden of graduation and the insecurity that comes with it isn’t enough, there’s the underlying question of will the love last after graduation?

Some graduating seniors determine the fate of their relationship quicker than expected -Do we continue? And if so, where do we go from here?

After college, the next six months aren’t predictable.

Some graduates move back home, some are offered jobs, and some may continue their education. Continuing to be with someone after college is challenging, considering there’s more to think about, but some couples are up for the race.

Meet Koviann Lowe and James Owens from Orlando.

Lowe and Owens were high school sweethearts and are now graduating seniors at Florida A&M University.

Lowe, a pre-occupational therapy student, and Owens, a criminal justice student, believe that love doesn’t end after you walk across the stage.

“Within the next two years after graduation, we plan to get married,” Lowe said. “We’re just waiting on the start of our careers and more financial stability.”

Lowe and Owens are able to move forward because they are truly each other’s biggest supporters.

“We do everything as a team,” Lowe said. “If either one of us is struggling with something, we pick up the slack and help each other out.”

Lowe believes that if you really care about someone you will be patient and want to make each other better.

“People have to learn that you can’t be selfish in a relationship,” Lowe said.

Lowe emphasized that although they have their own agendas, the love doesn’t end there.

“We both have busy schedules but we make it work because we want to make a better life for our son,” Lowe said. “We keep the romance alive by keeping the relationship exciting … end it for what”?

You’ve come to college and met that special person, what do you decide to do?

Jamilah Fort and Andre Channel from Orlando, met in college and plan to continue their relationship as far as love their love will take them.

Fort, a psychology student at Bethune-Cookman University and Channel, who graduated with a bachelor’s in mass communications at Bethune, believes that compromising is key.

“Our biggest concern is location and where we will live,” Fort said. “But we are both willing to move so that we can stay together.”

Fort and Channel have devotional time where they seek God as a couple.

“As a couple, we pray a lot … when times are hard we pray for each other and give each other space,” Fort said.

Ebony Brown, a clinical social worker/ therapist in Tallahassee, believes that whatever route is chosen, make sure that it fits into one’s long-term plan.

“Graduation causes us to alter and re-evaluate our priorities,” Brown said.

Brown said that if the partners can come to a consensual agreement and commit to self-promises, than continuing love after college should be of no issue.

Canoodling in college can be easy to do. Both parties are in the same city and live relatively close to each other. But once those students graduate, a big divider among many of couples is distance.

Love has no time or no limits in Myami Singletary’s story.                                                                                                                                                                                              

Singletary, a graduating biology student at FAMU,  resides in Tallahassee but her boyfriend, Mayne Smith, lives in California.       

“After college we plan to continue our relationship, but we are not sure where yet,” Singletary said.

Singletary is hesitant about moving to California because she wouldn’t feel safe there, but this doesn’t stop her from ending the relationship.

“It’s hard right now because of the time zone, but I know once I graduate everything will fall into place,” Singletary said.

Jasmine Boykins and Derrick Strozier both from Orlando, and another long distance couple, have been together for four years.

Boykins, a graduating occupational therapy student at FAMU and Strozier, a graduating double major in finance and management at Tulane University, believes in moving forward no matter how tough the journey may get.

After college they plan to stay together but continue to pursue their own dreams.

Boykins wants to move back home and work in a hospital, however; Strozier wishes to pursue a career with the NFL or work as an investment banker.

Strozier doesn’t mind where they live, as long as they’re making good money together.

“I try my best to make things right on my own but if it doesn’t work I keep fighting and give it all to God for guidance,” Strozier said.

Strozier and Boykins believe that if you love each other you can move forward in whatever situation together.

Continuing love after college isn’t the easiest decision to make but these couples show that with love, a happily ever after is possible.