KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010 / APARTMENT GUIDE
9
of relationship by living together
BY TAYLOR LEWIS tlewis@kansan.com
On their sixth month anniversary, Kristina Burger and L.D. Williams, seniors from El Dorado, made a pact. From that point on, the young couple decided that they would be comfortable enough to fart in front of each other.
Nineteen months later, the two students are more than comfortable with one another. In fact, they're so comfortable that they have chosen to take the ultimate relationship jump and move in with each other at Lawrence's Trailridge apartments.
"I thought moving in was a huge relief. It was just so nice not to have to pack a bag to stay at his house, or him not to have to pack a bag to stay at my house. It was just nice to have all of our stuff at one place," Burger said.
Chelsye Parrett, a freshman from Hoyt, and Garrett Gunn, a freshman from Topeka, also encountered that relationship milestone after dating for seventeen months. After the two met through a mutual friend and both decided to attend the University, they chose to move in together at Hawks Pointe apartments.
"Shed stay at my house and we liked that. We thought we could deal with each other," Gunn said.
These two couples aren't alone though. Anna Olson, a leasing agent with Hutton Farms apartments, said couples living together seems to be gaining popularity among college students.
"It's definitely been a growing thing. I'm seeing more and more younger students come in to live with cross sexes," Olson said. "We do have quite a few people who meet each other out here and start dating, but they start out as neighbors."
Approximately 25 percent of residents at Hutton Farms are students and a significant portion of that percentage is couples. But while some may believe that living with your significant other might be difficult, Burger, Williams, Parrett, and Gunn seem to have found the key for happy living.
"Wed be lying if we said that it didn't test our relationship," Parrett said. "But we're pretty in love, I like to think."
In addition to improving their emotional relationship, by living with their significant others, students are able to learn a thing or two about themselves.
"I moved in with a boyfriend in the past
for about four or five months and we had dated for three or four years, and living together made me realize that we weren't meant to be," Burger said.
By living with Williams, Burger has also learned that she has more time to devote to her studies. The time she would have spent texting and calling Burger is now spent on schoolwork. Williams has also seen a difference in his study time.
"I think living together has actually helped my class work. Both of us are pretty good students." Williams said. "But when we're both there, she has to study like four or five days in advance for her tests, which, when she's sitting down studying, it gets me to calm down and sit down and study more in advance for my tests."
While shacking up together isn't for all couples, there can be definite benefits to this relationship landmark. Yet no matter how close couples may be, Burger advises all couples to follow her relationship rule of thumb.
"Make sure you can fart in front of each other," Burger said. "If you can't do that, you probably can't live with each other."
Edited by Kristen Liszewski
Photo illustration by Mia Iverson/KANSAN
There are also advantages to moving in with your significant other. L.D. Williams, a senior from El Dorado, said living with his girlfriend has helped his studies.