Teenage years are when kids first start to explore romantic relationships and how they feel about them. According to an article about young relationships, 53% of teenagers are regularly dating and 63% of teenagers have gone on at least one date. But what may pose a problem to some eyes is the age gaps that are present in some of these high school relationships. 

   Simon Steffy (’24) speaks upon the subject and says that he doesn’t see large age gaps as appropriate, especially when there’s a huge maturity difference in school. 

   “Maturity is a big thing in high school relationships, one person is older and more experienced and the other person is barely through puberty,” Steffy said. 

   Christian Miranda (’27) agrees with Steffy, maturity tends to be missing when age gaps are present but he does add that it can be ok in some circumstances.

   “Some people can be really mature for their age so it won’t make a big deal in a relationship but if there’s a big gap in it then it could definitely cause some problems,” Miranda said. 

   Others find that age gaps aren’t a breaking point when it comes to factors in a relationship since it’s only in a four year range and regardless of the grade they still have the fact that they are a student in common. Aliyah Koonce (’26) says that age gaps, since both parties are still in school, aren’t bad. 

   “If both people are in highschool then I don’t really see a problem with it, it’s honestly not that weird,” Koonce said. 

   All things considered, age gaps are subjective when it comes to relationships. Mills Thunderbolt’s article, Intergrade Relationships, explains that there can be positives to age gaps since there are opportunities for academic help from the older partner but there are still negatives such as more opportunities for miscommunication because of said age gap. These relationships are up to the teenager and can either work out or not, in the end it is up to them.