Originally published January 25, 2022

Valentine's Day is getting closer and closer, which means more relationships happen all over the world. Especially in middle school, since a lot of us think it's the school years to date. It's the season of love every year in February and more and more people become couples.

Middle school relationships happen every year. But being in a relationship can and can not be a good experience to have. Sometimes they can be worth it and sometimes they may not be.

“[Relationships are] just weird since you are just in middle school and could wait until high school,” Bonifacio Cordero, a seventh-grader at MBMS said.

Melissa Alonzo supports Cordero's opinion towards why relationships are not worth it.

Sixth-grader Melissa Alonzo said, “I do not think they’re worth it because I feel like middle schoolers should really just date in high school.”

Having a relationship can always have its pros and cons. But when you are in middle school your relationship is most likely to have its downs. Since we are still young and learning to grow independently.

“ I have to say we don't really know much about relationships and love,” Alonzo said.

Art teacher Ms. Wells had a similar opinion with Melissa Alonzo but just with a teacher's perspective.

“ Look, these are the years to have crushes," MBMS art teacher, Mrs.Wells said. "And you can learn a lot from having a crush like what you do and don't like about those that you are attracted to.”

Gaston A. Romero explains more about the cons of being in a relationship.

“You’re not really mature and start doing stuff you are not supposed to do," eighth-grader Gaston A. Romero said.

Being in a relationship in middle school can affect students in and out of school. Since they see each other during school and they text or hang out after school.

“Might not do their homework because they are paying attention to their relationship," Cordero said,

“In school, they are texting instead of paying attention.”

Students relationships do not only affect students but the staff at MBMS too. Students might not think it affects teachers since they are not the ones in the relationship but it does. Especially during classes.

“ It would affect the staff because they would have to be interrupted more,” Romero said, “Especially if they are in the same class or just texting each other.”

Ms. Wells gave her opinion towards student relationships affecting classes as well.

“I've had to make so many seating charts based on who is no longer dating who!,” Ms. Wells said.

Having a relationship in middle school can be good and bad at the same time because it depends on the people that are together. For some people, they have to figure out what's better for them and what's not. Others might have a different opinion. Their many thoughts when you have or are in a relationship.

“...You get to learn like what type of people you like in personality and what people to stay away from," said Romero. “It gets you more prepared for the future when your more ready for more serious relationships."

“Middle school is the time of your life when you really start to get to know who you are," Mrs. Wells said. "What your strengths and weaknesses are, what you enjoy and what you don't, and what it means to be a good student and a supportive friend."