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Finally free from the constraints of home, you head off to college with a clear head and a beating heart. As so many of us do when we leave home, we celebrate our new liberty!

Saying goodbye to your parents as you head off for the semester isn’t so hard to do when you’re thinking of how frequently you and your sweetheart can get together without permission from your folks. You might even be heading to school with hopes of finding a new love. And, sure love is great and if you find it with the right person, you might be lucky enough to create beautiful memories to last years. Unfortunately, many students have problems balancing love and school. Though many parents deny it, dating and finding love is equally important to the social development of young individuals, just as having a healthy education is. Both are tremendously powerful and have unlimited stages that will affect your life.

Soon after high school, you find yourself making choices and decisions that you have not had to make until this point. It’s almost frightening … yet so invigorating at the same time. You’re practically thrust into the world without a “how-to” guide. This stage in your life is about finding yourself, and you’re so excited! At this point, you’re probably thinking, “YES, I am soooo gone!”

But you might not be so excited when you’re trying to cram for a Biology midterm and your sweetheart wants you to ditch your studies to hang out at his place. It’s hard to do, but you have to learn to set boundaries and compromises, if you want to get the best of both. If you don’t set the rules now, you can believe he won’t take your education seriously and won’t expect you to either.

The best way to start setting love/school boundaries is to set them for yourself first. You can start by reminding yourself of where you want to be at the end of four years. Do you want to graduate on time? Or do you want to keep skipping class to spend time with your honey? The latter will either result in extra years at school or in your dropping out.

A simple compromise to a last minute request can lead to greater results. For example, when he texts you during class and asks to meet up, you can say something like: “I really can’t meet you right now but you can bet I can’t wait to see you after I get out.” This playfully lets him know that you cannot accommodate him at this moment, but you will make it a point to be available when you are done.

Also, try not to offend anyone, especially your roommates by bringing in your Amorcito at unexpected hours or taking part in inappropriate PDA’s. These are just simple courtesies to keep in mind.

Let’s face it, sometimes you have to put love first! Just know how and when to make the call. Be ready to accept the outcome of your decision. There aren’t good or bad choices when it comes to matters of the heart, but there are repercussions that may follow if you don’t learn from your mistakes. After all, you are an individual and you’ll choose whom you want to be with, when and where. Just be smart about it.