We all know at least one of them. Their happy smiles and the way they look at each other can warm your heart while simultaneously making you cringe with jealousy.

It takes a special kind of couple to make a long-term relationship work. Or does it?

Josh Bresnick and Hannah Kent, who have been dating for just under two years, make it sound easy.

Conflicts are bound to come up at some point in every relationship. Whether or not the relationship is still intact after the conflict is addressed, however, is a different story. One way to see if a relationship will make it in the long-run is by how the couple handles disagreements.

“We usually just try to talk about it,” said Bresnick, an undeclared freshman. “We try to fix it.”

Marisa Carreon, a junior economics major, has been with her boyfriend for four years.

Carreon said she and her boyfriend deal with conflict by talking things out. She also said they don’t yell at each other.

“We try to be understanding about the other person’s position,” Carreon said. “We talk things through in case somebody doesn’t fully understand.”

After being together for a long time, many couples tend to get in a rut. Carreon and her boyfriend, however, keep things interesting by balancing time with each other and their friends.

“We are fine going our separate ways sometimes and doing our own things,” Carreon said.

Kent and Brosnick also try to balance their relationship.

“We still have our friends all around,” Kent said.

For college students, dating is expensive. Couples in long-term relationships are understanding of that and have to get creative with dates.

“Every day is a date,” Bresnick said.

Carreon said she regularly has informal dates with her boyfriend. Most couples try to do something special for anniversaries.

“We go out to dinner,” Bresnick said. “A fancy one, which is pretty rare.”

Although long-term relationships take work, they can also be rewarding.

“We can talk about anything,” Carreon said. “We laugh about really silly things now, too.”

Carreon suggests that all couples try long distance at some point. Sometimes, it can pay off especially if it has an end date eventually.

“That can make or break a relationship,” Carreon said.

Bresnick credits his relationship to keeping things simple.

“Don’t make it harder than it is,” Bresnick said. “If it’s complicated, it isn’t worth it.”

Collegian Entertainment Assistant Editor Amber Johnson can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.