Waiting is a learned characteristic and prevalent in our society, from waiting in line at the grocery store to waiting in traffic for hours, but waiting is less commonly seen when it comes to sex.

Chelsea Krause, 21-year-old engineering major at Colorado State University, has been with her boyfriend for over a year and they have plans of marriage in the future. Krause describes that due to their strong religious beliefs they have both decided to wait until marriage.

“We just both believe God wants the best for us,” Krause said. “It’s what is right for us.”

Krause explains that by waiting for sex until marriage they have been able to build their relationship without being physical which has challenged them and made their relationship stronger and feel they are doing exactly what God has planned for them.

“God wants to protect us and help us live a good and successful life,” said Krause. “So that is what we are trying to do, at least the best we can.”

As younger generations grow more relaxed about having sex, waiting until marriage is becoming a less common act. The next question arises, does being physical with someone, a person you love or do not love, help or hurt the relationship?

“I think waiting until you are married to have sex is a dangerous thing,” said 24-year-old CSU alumnus Ben Avrin. ” It sounds good but sex is a big part of a relationship and it seems crazy to get to know everything about someone without being compatible on a physical level.”

Many decide to build their relationships on an emotional level until marriage then they decide to complete the bond by becoming physical. Others have decided to build their relationship with both components, emotional and physical connection, then the idea of marriage may be proposed down the road.

In this day in age, both waiting to have sex and not waiting to have sex are practiced in our society. Each with supporters and non-supporters but most can agree that the choice is completely up to us.

“I don’t believe in waiting but, I respect the people that do,” said Drew Rotman, a 22-year-old psychology major. “Today, the social norm is not to wait. It takes a lot of willpower and self-respect to not succumb to peer pressure.”

As people grow and see more of life outside their original hometown bubble, choices and beliefs also begin to shift. It has become easier to see sex as an act and no longer as an experience. Within the younger generations that flood into college it is easy to see a change in personal views as each individual begins to build a life for their own reconfiguring their own morals and beliefs.

Today’s society has allowed for every individual to make their own choices, develop their own opinions, and experience all aspects of life the way in which they want to. Not only has our world become more open-minded but so has our opinions that each individual should be given the right to chose the way in which they carry out their personal sex lives.

“I believe that sex is a beautiful thing,” said Rotman. “Your first experience should be with someone who cares about you and who guides you through the new experience.”