CRUSHES

It's no secret: relationships are a lot of work. Juggling romance while you're still in school is especially tricky. Not only do you need to spend time with your partner, but you also have to balance them with school, work and extracurriculars, not to mention all your other connections with family members and friends. Maintaining a relationship can be incredibly overwhelming. Sometimes, that can even negatively impact your grades. We know how difficult this situation can be, so we've compiled a list of tips to make handling it as easy as possible. 

Before you can fix the problem, you first have to identify what's causing your grades to drop. Take some time to yourself, and make a list of what's been stressing you out the most. After you've thought about the source, check out our advice below, which will help you deal with each of these probs.    

1. If you're spending too much time with your bae... Wanting to spend time with your partner is a good thing! It means that you enjoy being a couple and actually like hanging out. However, there is such a thing as too much time with your bae. Not only can dedicating too much time to a relationship lead to frustration, but it can really hurt your academic performance. Ditching class or bailing on homework to spend time with your partner is not a good sign. Partners who really care for or love you will understand that grades are important to you and encourage you to do well in school. If you find this isn't the case, talk to your partner and explain that you feel like you have to start putting more effort into your schoolwork. Make a schedule to ensure you have enough time to focus on all the important things in your life.

2. If your partner needs a lot of attention... In this case, the slip in your grades is mostly because of their needs. Is your sweetie pressuring you to hang out all the time, or guilting you into spending more time together than your have? If the answer to the first question is yes, you should take time to seriously think about you and your cutie. A healthy relationship should come naturally; you should not feel stressed about getting QT in with your S/O. If the answer to the second question is yes, it's great that your boo is super committed to you...but if that's the case, brainstorm creative ways you can spend time together and boost your grades. Are you in the same classes? Try studying or doing homework together. Alternatively, know that there's nothing wrong with taking time for yourself. 

3. If your relationship is so stressful that you just can't concentrate on school... Ideally, relationships should be fun! You should look forward to being with your partner. Of course, there are times in any relationship when you feel annoyed, sad or just plain angry, but in a healthy relationship, the good should outweigh the bad. With that said, a solid bond will not prevent you from focusing on grades or school. So, if you find yourself in a romantic relationship where you feel constantly anxious or stressed, don't push that feeling aside. Talk out this issue with your partner and if after your conversation you don't feel like things have changed, then take whatever next step you need to feel better.

If your relationship is so time consuming that it becomes overwhelming, speak to an adult you trust about the sitch.

Has a relationship ever caused your grades to slip? Do you have tips for balancing grades and baes? Let us know in the comments section below!

by Lauren Padilla | 10/10/2016