It feels like someone invents a new term used to define or describe a romantic relationship every day. Words like “situationship” and “talking stage” were invented within the last decade, and they’re only making dating more stressful and confusing than it already is.
Although these terms aren’t unique to Miami, definitions like these often discourage people looking for a serious relationship.
And finding love at the U is already almost impossible.
According to College Weekly, an Instagram account that ranks colleges on various criteria, the University of Miami ranks second for “toughest dating scene” after Arizona State University.
The caption stated, “finding love at these schools is an extreme sport,” and, to some extent, this rings true.
Among the schools listed in the Instagram post, almost all were also known as “party schools,” showing a possible correlation between party culture and finding long-term romance.
“For many young people, the way they experience nightlife, or the morning after, directly impacts their romantic relationships,” NSS magazine wrote in an article on what is called the “party gap.”
The party gap suggests that people who enjoy going out to clubs or bars often clash with those who prefer staying in and reading a good book.
“I don’t think it’s impossible to find love here, but I definitely think it has a lot to do with the individual person,” said a female sophomore student at UM. “A lot of the time, people get too into the party culture at schools like this, and tell themselves they won’t find anything serious, so they never treat the relationship seriously even if they do eventually get in one.”
While this is an obvious assumption, what isn’t obvious is how greatly this gap is impacting the Gen Z population.
A study by Family Studies found that Gen Z is in a “relationship recession.” The study focused on unmarried young adults aged 22-35 who expect to marry.
They found that only 1 in 3 young adults, both male and female, is in a serious relationship or dating, and only half expressed interest in getting in a relationship at all.
“I don’t think it’s impossible to find love here, but I definitely think it has a lot to do with the individual person,” said another female sophomore at UM. “A lot of the time, people get too into the party culture at schools like this, and tell themselves they won’t find anything serious, so they never treat the relationship seriously even if they do eventually get in one.”
One possible cause of the relationship epidemic is oversaturation: too many fish in the sea.
There are approximately 19,850 students who attend UM’s undergraduate and graduate programs, but more students don’t always mean better options.
According to a study published in PubMed Central, having a larger dating pool actually decreases someone’s chances of finding a potential partner due to an overload of selections, leading you to stay single rather than form an intimate relationship.
“I think there’s hope for finding someone or something serious at this school, it’s just a matter of looking for someone who has similar interests as you,” said a different female student who wishes to remain unnamed. “If you’re into going to the gym, then join a club for runners or working out. If you’re into movies or music, go to places where you’ll find people of those interests. It’s not completely hopeless, just a lot of work.”
So, while finding love isn’t necessarily impossible at UM, it may be time to branch out if you’re looking to find “the one.”