In the spirit of the season, we asked medical students their opinions about being in romantic consolidations with their colleagues. Here are some of their thoughts:

FAITH IWASEPELETUN:

Well, in Nigeria, no, because every medical student in Nigeria is frustrated. So, I don’t want to be an additional burden, I want to have joy. I know what all these people make me go through.

So, you want someone else to compensate for your own tight schedule. That’s unfair.

Well, it’s a contract.

What is the person getting from the contract?

Love, attention, everything nice.

But your schedule will be tight.

Okay, this is it. I’m busier and I’m more focused. I don’t want someone who is in the same department as me. Let’s assume we’re now in the same room. The person would now be talking about Anatomy even if we are talking about normal things of life, down the line, we’ll still digress in order to remember and brainstorm. It’s going to be boring.

Do you have a preference?

Like a department? Faculty of Technology. In this UI, they have handsome boys. From the beards, shoes and all.

They don’t even think about school so much, but they do well.

That’s the thing. They are good with extracurricular work. Like, balancing schoolwork and other things.

But we have medical students that are multifaceted.

Yes, we do. We have people like that I’ve not met.

Why don’t you want a classmate?

I don’t want to be seeing him every day. No! It will be boring.

 Now, you’re giving your reasons. If you see him every day, it’ll be…

“Yeah, you didn’t call me today” “We saw in class” SEE FINISH.

What if he stabs?

If he stabs class, I’ll get too concerned and have to text him. I just want to be like “hey, when are we seeing? let’s hang out.”

So, if you can’t date a classmate, you can date a senior, yeah?

They are the same as your classmates, they are just an upgrade, your Classmate 2.0. That’s just what they are!

Up…upgrade?

Technically, they are on a higher level, and they have more experience.

You don’t see them every day.

Well, I don’t see them every day but I still wouldn’t be able to trust that they’ll be loyal. Another issue.

What about the people in tech?

People in tech? I could have guys there that could keep watch. If you come to my zone, you’re dead.

So, your own reason is that you stereotype medical students.

Honestly, medical students can be…

Unavailable? Disloyal? Boring?

That’s not what I mean and yeah, they’re also unavailable. One thing is that we are going to be sharing people a lot. Imagine if we all date our classmates and you break up with him. Then, two weeks later, another guy will be with her. Are you going to be like, “that’s my ex over there?”.

Life goes on.

You people are playing with yourselves. See, let’s go outside our department. Carry medical sense join with Faculty of Art sense – the sensible ones. The thing is, as medical students, we have this high standard that even if, we’re going to date someone in tech, he has to be super intelligent. He’s going to have to roll with your vibe and all of those things. So, they have to switch with us here and the others will pair with others. You get? Balance!

TERENCE:

Yes. We’re going through the same thing, we’re in the same department, and we would have the same excuses. There’s nothing stopping us.

Same excuses?

“I’m too busy” I’m also too busy. “I’m tired” I’m also tired. “I have test next week” Oh, I also have a test next week.

So, if you were to go out with any medical student. Would it be a classmate, junior or senior?

Anyone except from seniors. Let’s just say we’re all suffering but their suffering is more than ours. So, when it comes to us arguing, she’ll always win.

So, it’s not about age or you’ll feel inferior or anything?

No. Age is just a number.

True. Do you think if your girlfriend is your classmate, you’d be distracted?

Considering the fact that I’m always distracted in class, there won’t be much difference. At least, I would have someone to remind me to read. It depends on how she is. If she’s serious, I’d have to be serious.

What if you guys break up? Do you think it’s going to be messy?

Nope.

And it won’t be awkward?

Oh, of course, there might be a timely regret, but it doesn’t affect us as far as it is not explosive.

MELIAT ABU-IDRIS:

Can I? Yes. I think, one, the person has to understand my schedule, two is easy accessibility, three, it would help with studies and all, because there’s no way two medical students would be dating, and you people would not read. Why?

You can get distracted. Would you sacrifice long-term results for short-term pleasures?

No. There would be the romantic part of the relationship, but it should also help you study.

Aren’t you guys meant to be reading and just checking up on each other once in a week?

Is that how it’s supposed to be? Let me see, another reason for dating a medical student?  I think that’s all.

Next question. Senior, classmate or junior? Why?

Senior or classmate. I think for juniors, crossing that line is a bit tricky for girls because there’s quite a lot about it and you’d always see the person as, “oh, the person is in a younger class”, even if the person is older than you. There’s just something about it. Classmates should work because you guys have the same schedule.

It also prevents infidelity.

Exactly! Zero infidelity. Nice one. For the seniors, I think it’s just the appeal that the person is in a higher class because there’s really no difference between dating your senior and dating your classmate but on the other hand, the dynamics there are just wonderful. I mean, I don’t know about the guys but for the girls, I feel like it’s wonderful.

Why?

The person is able to carry you along because they’ve been through what you’re just going through, so they can put you through and be like, “oh, this lecturer is like this, this lecturer that.” They can help you study. They also know ways to destress, and they can advise you on how to de-stress, what to do and so many benefits.

Do you think you’d be distracted if you’re dating your classmate?

No.

Even if there is a breakup?

Now, that depends. There are relationships that go deep, there are relationships that are just on a surface level. For a relationship that has gone deep, I would be distracted, but if it is something that is just on a surface level, not really. Either way, the person would be my friend.

OLAOLUWA OLABISI:

No. There are quite a lot of things that would not make me date a medical student. Dating is meant to lead to marriage, right? So, if you’re dating a medical student, the only enjoyable thing is that you both would enjoy the moment and the fact that you’re both in the same field and you tend to relate with each other quite often, but I feel like for the sake of the marriage, it won’t actually help. You know how hectic medicine can be.

You do want someone to compensate for your inadequacies?

Yes, which is not entirely my fault.

It is. If you want a life where everything would be taken care of, you could actually hire someone to do that for you and not necessarily your significant other.

Let me be more factual. One of the reasons I would not date a medical student is because we as human beings have different preferences for our prospective significant other and ever since I’ve started my research on medical students. It’s hard to see medical students that possess the kind of vibes that I’d like in a lady.

Deep. What are the vibes you’re looking for that medical students do not possess?

That’s getting private, but I’ll shed more light. Most medical students, though I’ve seen some exceptions, are kind of stringent and guided by too many principles. It’s not their fault, it’s the training received to do that. At least, when I get off work, I need another type of energy, another kind of vibe that would take me away from my regular activities.

Do you have a preference for the department or career?

Not the department at all. I can marry anybody but preferably not a medical student.

What about if your wife is a lawyer? They also have principles.

I can take that because it’s away from my own specialty. I just need someone that is away from my own specialty, and it helps because there may be issues in which I’m not paid my salary and the endless strikes and since we won’t be in the same field, the family will have something to fall back on. That is, her salary for a period of time.

That’s very thoughtful.

I already told you that before I entered school, I made a resolution that I wouldn’t date a medical student because I made my findings. Let’s say I want to be adventurous enough to try it one time and see. I actually have seen my specs in medical students even in our department and level.

OSARETIN EHIOROBO:

Yes, medical school is hectic, and I think having somebody that you’re close to and intimate with can help to relieve some stress.

That’s so sweet. So, what’s your preference, senior, classmate or juniors?

I don’t know but seniors are not really of interest to me, but I might change. I feel it’s okay to date my classmate, but not a junior. I’m not really a senior person. I wouldn’t know what is going on in your side and I feel like it’s better with someone that is around me.

Do you think it can be distracting?

It can be distracting; that is the major con. Even if you guys do not sit together in class. Unless one person is not a class person, and the other person is a class person, that person can be stabbing class and you’ll come to your class to gain what you want to gain, and you’ll meet during test periods.

And then it would be worse if you guys broke up.

That’s the second major con. It would be terrible. Let me think, I think it’s better to date a senior because if there’s a breakup, it not going to be as bad.

So, you’d rather keep your relationship private?

Yes. That’s the best way if it’s going to be an intraclass thing.

So, if you start dating your classmate, is there a point where you take it from private to public?

It would depend on the two of us. When we’re sure and we have gone far. When we have spent some years together. When you’re ready, if we make this thing public, if anything happens, we are ready for what is going to happen. Normally, everybody has to prepare for rejection. Anything could happen, you could even die.