Can young love survive the test of a college acceptance?

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY—For Valentine’s Day 2021, we repost this story from the Feb. 10, 2012, Clayton Pioneer about the perils and pitfalls of young love. The story was written by then-high-school student journalist, Taylor Tovrea.

It’s Valentine’s Day and love in the air. What better time is there to discuss the timeless topic of young love?

Throughout history, romance has always thrived during the adolescent years, whether tragically as in Romeo and Juliet or to ‘80s pop hits as in every John Hughes movie. The students of Clayton Valley High School are no exception to this rule; in fact, the evidence of their vulnerability to the potent love potion known as copious amounts of hormones can be seen every school day up and down the hallways and in the quad in between classes.

Couples embracing or walking to class hand in hand, girls donning their guy’s jersey on game day and boys staging dramatic and thoughtful prom proposals. Having a successful and healthy high school relationship can be one of the best feelings in the world. However senior year brings a chilly reality check that can affect even the happiest of couples.

With college increasingly becoming a necessity for a successful future, today’s graduating couples often must face separation from their partner in addition to all of the other changes that accompany receiving one’s diploma and officially entering the “real world”, conditions many relationships fail to survive and are even expected to.

Puppy Love

However, some couples manage to rise above the limitations of puppy love and overcome the obstacles of age and circumstance to be together. Clayton Valley senior Ryan Dodge and his girlfriend, Clayton Valley alumnus Lauren Warzecha, are a prime example of such a commitment. The two began dating in 2011 but broke off their relationship once summer rolled around, not wanting to date long distance with Ryan still at CV and Lauren at UC Irvine the next fall. However it wasn’t long before they changed their minds, deciding that long distance was worth a try to stay together. Five months into the school year the couple is still going strong, glad that they didn’t give up so easily.

Seniors Kaylee Andrews and Aaron Calimlim are similarly determined to continue their relationship after graduation. The two have been an item since the fall of their sophomore year and after such a long time, Kaylee says that she can’t imagine experiencing such an important milestone in my life without him.

“College is just another thing that we will face together,” she says.

The couple intends to enjoy the rest of their senior year and then pursue their undergraduate studies in southern California together next fall.

Long odds

Knowing the odds facing couples after graduation, one might question the point of having a relationship in high school, especially senior year. Having entered a relationship myself this year, only a few short months before graduation, I would say that the experience is entirely worth it, regardless of what happens after we don our caps and gowns. My boyfriend and fellow Clayton Valley senior Ted Hall summed it up best:

“Although many relationships don’t last, high school is a time to live for the moment and follow your heart. What happens in the future happens, but there is no need to stress about it now.”

There’s already enough stress in our lives.

Taylor Tovrea was a senior at Clayton Valley High School when she wrote this Teen Speak article for The Pioneer in 2012.