UB sophomore Theresa Haas has lived with her boyfriend Bryan Staebell, also a sophomore, for two years.
"I used to spend every waking minute with him anyway. It was only natural for us to move in together," she explained.
Haas and Staebell's situation is one becoming increasingly common to college-age couples, who find it just makes sense that their living arrangements match the degree of commitment of their relationships, although they have no plans of getting married anytime soon.
"Not in a million years," Haas said. "It would be kind of ridiculous to get married so young, especially with the tremendous pressure placed on a student with school and figuring out what you want to do with your life."
To other undergraduate couples, like senior English majors Ben and Kristen Rinaldo, marrying one's significant other is just as sensible as living with them.
"We just did it. It wasn't pregnancy, which is what most people assume," said Rinaldo, who recently married his longtime girlfriend, who he met in high school. The couple dated for four years before tying the knot in 2000.
Neither UB's Office of Admissions nor the Office of Institutional Analysis keeps statistics on how many married students are enrolled, but the university does recognize the need to accommodate such a lifestyle.
Flickinger Court, one of UB's four apartment complexes, provides housing for married students and students with families, in addition to catering to graduate students. UB is also scheduled to open a new apartment complex, Creekside Village, in August, which will also provide housing for married couples.
"Kristen and I were on a waiting list for Flickinger, but we ended up having to move off campus," said Rinaldo. He feels the university should do more to provide on-campus housing for married students.
UB does not offer housing for unmarried students living together.
Ibrahim Abu-Sitta, an undecided major at Erie Community College, brought his girlfriend, Maricela Navarrette, a dental hygiene major, all the way from California to live with him in Buffalo so they could enroll in ECC together. Abu-Sitta described living with Navarrette as "a good cup of coffee."
The couples said being together during and after class helped them achieve higher grades but cautioned against spending too much time together.
"Maricela helped me pass my math class. It is extremely encouraging to know that I have access to free, round-the-clock tutoring," joked Abu-Sitta.
Haas also said her boyfriend aided her performance in school, but she warned against taking too many classes with a boyfriend or girlfriend.
"It's too much togetherness, and can get way too competitive. I took three classes with Bryan last semester and it was a mistake," said Haas.
Rinaldo, who admits to only slight competition between him and Kristen, said he does not mind enrolling in almost all of the same classes with his significant other and even works with her in Lockwood Memorial Library.
All of the couples had a plethora of advice to give to students about marrying and moving in with their boyfriends and girlfriends, most echoing that each person should give the other respect and space.
Tyson Solberg, a senior computer engineering major, who married his wife Kristi six months ago, had an extra bit of wisdom.
"Wait to get married until after finishing school. Living together, paying two tuitions, supporting yourselves, and going to classes is challenging, to say the least," he said.
