Starting 2022 single or taken? Whether people are in a relationship or not, starting a new year with or without someone must be different, but is it better or worse than the alternative?

“It’s different but not in a bad way because when you get to see them, since you don’t see them every day, it’s just better because it’s more special when you get to see them,” said sophomore Maddie Bauman.

Bauman is in a relationship with someone who does not attend Grayslake North High School, but in her experience it makes the relationship more special. Coming into the new year is hard sometimes because couples can’t always find the time to see each other.
“We celebrated it [New Year’s] a week before because we were both busy on New Year’s Day,” Bauman said.

Being in a long-distance relationship is much different then being with your partner almost every day. Seniors Jenny Kim and Kaden Keller are in a relationship together, and they both go to the same school with one another.

“I feel like it’s really fun because you don’t have to go out of your way to see them because you go to the same school as them and you see them every day. I feel like it’s just fun to have your boyfriend at your school, and having the same classes, which we have like a lot of similar classes together,” Kim said.
Being in a relationship at the same school allows them to not have to constantly see each other after school. This can help relieve pressure of feeling like one has to set dates and times to see one another.

“Yeah, I feel like it’s cool because some days I have to work, and we can’t hangout, so I at least get to see her while we have some similar classes. Which we actually got lucky with this year. We have a lot of similar classes so we don’t always have to hangout after school,” Keller said.
Entering the new year with someone always allows room for new adventures, experiences and spending more time together.

“I feel like it’s really exciting and nervous because you don’t know what you could possibly do this year, and I feel like I definitely have a lot of plans to do a lot more fun things with Kaden,” Kim said. A lot of new experiences are happening in 2022, especially since seniors are graduating this year, which means people are picking out colleges, or seeing what the future holds for these couples.

“I feel like it’s pretty cool starting another year together, especially since this will be our second new year together. I thought it was pretty cool starting the new year with the same person, and I know this year is going to be a pretty big year because graduating senior year and everything with college, but we’re just living life,” Keller said.
Being single coming into the new year has different reactions towards different people. Some don’t mind and some do

“Well same as it always is, not that great, but whatever. It’s not the most pleasant thing, but dating is also unpleasant,” said senior Paris Nissen.
When coming into a new year single you have opportunities to meet new people and make new bonds.

“More opportunities, plus no one’s exactly holding you down or anything, and you have all this freedom,” Nissen said.
In a survey sent out to Grayslake North students, 22.1 percent said they were taken, in a relationship, and 77.9 percent said they were single.