College can be a difficult balancing act: How do you budget your time between relationships and schoolwork? As my colleagues can tell you, achieving poise can be an eternal struggle. Although I subscribe to the motto, "work hard, play hard," translating that adage to college is no easy feat. Meeting people in your classes is a great way to pursue someone cute while still keeping your grades up to par. When getting to know someone in a classroom setting, you're not limited to judging them on their freak-dancing or beer-pong skills. You're able to see how they interact in an intellectual setting. Class discussions are not only a great way to expand your knowledge of John Winthrop's life story, but also to clue into which of your peers could be a potential date. If you notice someone in your class who shares some ideas with you, a "study session" might be worth your while. Who knows what can develop while going over last week's problem set? The best part is, if you meet them in class they're substantially less likely to be drunk at the time.

A friend of mine met his girlfriend in his poetry class, of all places. There's nothing more fairytale (or, if you're a guy, more intimidating) than falling for someone in a class that discusses the most romantic poetry of all time. The angst and pressure of reading the works of Shakespeare while sitting next to your fairly recent significant other are both sweet and scary at the same time. While it may seem difficult to make it through the semester to the backdrop of Whitman, this couple is still going strong, proving that relationships that are sparked in class can have staying power.

Those of us already attached often find frustration with dating someone and keeping up with the evening's reading. We're used to the summer life, with no commitments aside from your sweetheart and your friends. Over the summer, work stayed at work and after-hours were strictly meant for having fun. Now, after-hours are the hours for working. What's a romantic workaholic to do?

I've found the key is in the hidden time. The hours you used to spend perusing Facebook, creating new iTunes playlists and cleaning out your desk drawer don't need to be set aside, just shortened. Think of it as an incentive system: The sooner you get your work done, the sooner you can be with the one you care about. Meals are also a great way to squeeze in time with your partner without losing precious study time. Lunches and dinners offer the perfect amount of time to get caught up before hitting the books. What doesn't work: Trying to do your separate homework assignments together. It's one thing if you're in the same class together, but unless you plan on sitting on complete opposite sides of the room, it's a lost cause. You've chosen that person because you're drawn to them, even during times of stress and work, so it's best to write your papers and do your reading separately.

When it comes down to it, school needs to be your number-one priority, but that doesn't mean that your books should be the be-all and end-all of your college experience. Most of what I've learned so far has taken place outside of the classroom. So while you may need to set aside time to do your homework, don't forget to allow some time for pursuing a new study buddy or making time for your sweetie.