Students- here are some ways to support your partner at university

As university students there is a lot to keep up with, from coursework, to your day job, to procrastinating for hours by fantasizing about life after you graduate.

It goes without saying that maintaining a balance between your work and social life is crucial, but one topic we often shy away from is how you can make your relationship work whilst at university.

Being in a relationship is exciting, but it requires time, trust, and work to sustain. However, adding the fact that you (and/or your partner) are putting yourselves through school, adds a whole new spin when finding ways to make sure that the two of you nurture the relationship.

Almost any student will blatantly tell you that university life is the best years of your life; however, it is strenuous. You're trying to figure out your life, plan your future, prepare resumes, hand in assignments, take exams, balance a job, and struggle with finances. At some point, it can get emotionally and physically taxing.

While you could probably gain from the support, it can be testing to balance both university and your relationship. Here are some ways to support your partner.

• Talk…and then talk some more!: This goes without saying- keeping in touch with your boo frequently is essential- but don't overdo it. You both have hectic schedules, and messaging/ popping into each other’s accommodation 24/7 can get annoying. Dropping voice notes when you can't get hold of each other or 'snap-chatting' your sexts are great ways to check up and keep your conversations exciting during the day. Be sure to talk and engage in honest communication from time to time to maintain the closeness.

• Something to look forward to: It's a great feeling to see that after texting, sexting and 'zooming' all week, your weekends are dedicated to spending time with your partner. Use these days to catch up and plan a fun activity (a sport/ club activity within your campus perhaps) to bond.

• Take on tasks: Have an assessment due? Your partner can take on the cooking. Have a meeting to run to? Your partner can take on arranging the room/ house. With unpredictable schedules, take off any extra workload from your partner when they are struggling.

• Involve your friends: A heavy workload and not spending enough time together during the week with your partner can guilt you into using your weekends to make up for the lost time. That being said, your friends and family matter too. Prioritize everyone equally. To make it easier, involve your partner when you go out with a group of friends. That way, you're not just maintaining your social life, but you're also taking a break from your busy schedules whilst spending time together.

As you obviously cannot take over the workload of your partner (unless you both take the same course probably), just being there to listen, taking on the extra workload, and finding solutions etc., helps. It's the little things that strengthen the relationship you share. At the same time, if you're not able to receive or cannot provide sufficient support, don't force your relationship.

University is a difficult time, and you are bound to experience highs and lows, but with honest communication and trust, there's nothing that should stop your relationship from growing.

Edited by Madeleine Gill