In today’s day and age, the idea of “high school sweethearts” seems to have become an urban legend. With only four percent of high school relationships lasting to marriage, it’s hard to believe that you and your boyfriend that you love more than Hollister and Twitter combined will stay together forever. Now don’t get me wrong, we all know that super serious couple that’s been dating for what seems like forever, but then again we have those bfs and gfs who break up/make up every other day. High school relationships are basically as unpredictable as the teenage years themselves, varying in levels of drama, mixed emotion, and pure confusion. Since they are so impulsive and backed by crazed hormones more than anything, relationships at this age are hard to be taken seriously by adults, yet so desired by us teens. Though forever is nearly never an option, we’re all chasing that crazy concept of young love, hoping for the PDA, photo booth pictures, and late night conversations that naturally come with it. However, heartbreak is just as evident in the formula of teen relationships as hand-holding. In other words, dating may be part of the high school routine, but is it all even worth it? As for the cons, some argue that having a boyfriend or girlfriend during adolescence is a complete waste of time when you’re bound to break up in a matter of weeks or months. Also, if your priorities aren’t set straight, being in a relationship can easily cause distraction from school, work, or sports, along with controversy with friends and family. However, there are pros to high school relationships as well, whether serious or short-term. The most significant would have to be merely the experience. Having a boyfriend or girlfriend as a teen allows you to learn how a relationship works, grow as a person, and prepare for the real world. You may not find “the one” during these four years, but you can gain the knowledge needed to know what to look for when the time is right. After all, isn’t high school just a big “experience” itself?