The semester is coming to a close, and for many graduating seniors, these days will be their last at UB.
As they sell off dorm furniture, hand out commencement tickets and begin mailing resumes, many must decide what will become of the romantic relationships that have blossomed during their time here. Many must decide whether they will set out into the world holding the hand of their college sweetheart, or if leaving UB means leaving them behind, too.
Jamie Woodall, a senior environmental studies major, met her chemistry major boyfriend Adam, through his roommate. They met at UB, even though they are both from the same hometown.
"The first summer after we met, we were both home in Albany, so we hung out a lot. We would hang out, watch movies, go out to eat, nothing major," she said.
She said they talked about what would happen if she got accepted to one of the far away graduate schools she applied to.
"I don't know from experience, but I've always heard that long-distance relationships don't work. Not that we wouldn't try, but I can't see something like that working," she said. "I don't know how people that have long-distance relationships do it."
Even so, she made all of her decisions keeping her career and academic goals as the top priority. She said she tried not to let her uncertainty about the outcome of her relationship influence her decisions.
"But, of course, it was always kind of in the back of my head," she said.
After a year and a half of dating, Woodall and her boyfriend called it quits. And though she would rather not elaborate on the details, she said her impending graduation was a factor in their breakup.
Graduation continues to affect her social life, she said. When she meets people now, she is aware that anything that begins will have an uncertain future.
"It's hard to start new relationships because I'm graduating. People I meet say, 'oh, but it will have to be long-distance'. So, it's hard," she said.
Stephanie Spencer, a senior psychology and sociology major met her psychology major boyfriend, Paul Moran, last January through a mutual friend.
"He liked me right off the bat, but I was kind of indifferent toward him," Spencer said.
But, they kept hanging out together with groups of friends. Eventually, they started hanging out alone, watching movies, such as "8 Mile", and going out to eat.
"Then we started staying up late. We would talk until two or three in the morning," she said.
More than a year later, their relationship is going strong.
That's why, when both began applying to graduate schools as far apart as Massachusetts and California, things got difficult.
"It was hard because I wanted to make that decision for myself, but I wanted to be with him, too. It was a very upsetting period, that's for sure."
Spencer came close to choosing a school in Rochester. Moran was strongly considering schools outside this area.
"I wanted to go away," Moran said.
He said he considered many factors when making his decision, and that staying with his girlfriend was definitely one of them.
Spencer said they talked about the possibility of splitting up, and decided that if they did have to be apart, they would do what they could to get through it together. They planned to talk often and see each other as much as possible. The details, they said, depended on exactly how far apart the two of them would be.
"If she just went to Rochester it would be one thing, but ended up going out West - it would be something else," Moran said.
Either way, though, they think their relationship would survive the distance.
"I don't think it would have been bad if we would have had to be apart, but of course it would be better if we could be together," Moran said. "We've built a really strong foundation in the year that we've been together."
They said that they would make their academic decisions first, and work their relationship around the paths they each chose.
"He told me he would be supportive of me 100 percent, and I said I would do the same for him," she said.
In the end, both have decided to stay put in Buffalo. Spencer will be attending UB for graduate school, and Moran will be attending Niagara University.
"It's a relief," she said. "And he told me, 'I'm really glad you're going to be here.'"
