Although many desire a high school relationship, there can be dangerous situations that come along with being involved in a romantic relationship.

       Many teenagers experience romantic and sexual relationships. According to childtrends.org, 42 percent of high school students have been in a past relationship. Some teens report to have a higher level of self esteem and or self confidence, which may result in better grades, higher testing scores according to Jason Sienkowski from the University of Alabama. However, there are situations where dating may lower academic achievement and motivation or raise levels of depression or even drug and alcohol abuse according to Ami Breckard from the University of Michigan. Even though there are pros, the cons heavily outweigh the pros with involvement in any type of drug abuse, physical abuse and sexual activity. 

       Students who have had past trauma in their lives, whether it be a parent who left the family or a severe accident, are more likely to have an interest in a relationship according to Diane Lynn from Florida State University. Those who have dealt with these types of problems may use a relationship to attempt to fill a void in their lives. This may lead to a teen joining in a relationship to feel wanted, even if they don’t truly love their partner.

      Cons within a high school relationship include large age differences, traumatizing breakups, drama, wasting money on dates and gifts, jeopardizing friendships, unhealthy dependency or even a general waste of time. Teen relationships that start at a young age may affect the academic success of the students if they choose to put their relationship before school. Those who make that decision will most likely end in a breakup which may cause long term sadness, depression or even suicidal thoughts. It is also common for teenagers to only want a relationship because they want to fit in and lack genuine desire to have a partner. This will most likely result in a breakup. Another contribution may be that some teenagers lack maturity. This quality is not uncommon in high schoolers and often results in a short lasting relationship.

      Even though high school relationships can be used as a benefit, they are most often temporary. A high school student should be focusing on themselves, their grades, and who they want to become in the future. Having a boyfriend/girlfriend in high school is an unnecessary distraction. 

      Although it is not necessarily a negative decision to choose getting involved in a relationship during young adulthood, it is simply important to find a partner when the time is right and the qualities pertaining to the other person are fit.