 "Photo: Chad Lewis")
Freshman Cassie Baroni had high hopes for her relationship. When the business major came to Chico, her boyfriend of about 10 months followed her.
"In high school, we talked about a future together, how we could do it in college, it'd be easy, it'd be fun," she said.
Two months after coming to Chico, all talks of a future ended when Baroni made the break, she said.
"I'm a freshman and I need the college experience without a boyfriend," she said. "I wasn't feeling it anymore. There are a lot of guys up here."
Baroni wanted something totally different in her relationship and it came out more when she came up here with all the new freedoms, she said.
And Baroni isn't the only turkey dropper around.
The turkey drop, a freshman phenomenon, happens each year as high school seniors head off to college and leave their significant others behind. Amid the promises and declarations of loyalty, first-year students seem to fall out of love about the same time leaves start falling from the trees.
Most victims in this game of love are hit hard during Thanksgiving break. For couples who haven't seen each other since summer, this is usually prime time to make the breakup speech in person.
While the name of the game sounds downright brutal and leaves one wondering who would do such a thing, it's actually quite popular.
Freshman Laurel Keiffer had never heard of the turkey drop, however, she now thinks it makes sense and seems to happen to everybody, including her, she said. Keiffer dated her ex-boyfriend for about two months when she left for college.
"We talked about the future a lot," she said, remembering her relationship prior to college.
The couple broke up after about a month and a half because of trust issues, she said.
"Lots of our fights were based on him thinking I'm out partying," she said.
The popularity of ending relationships at the start of freshman year may be caused by the students' new environment, said Nandi Crosby, professor of sociology and multicultural gender studies.
"A lot of people are experiencing how to be a grown-up without having to answer to their parents," Crosby said.
It's a whole new world, she said. Romantic relationships aren't the only ones that are changing. Even the relationships between students and their parents change.
Students experiment with drugs, alcohol and just being adults with everything that comes with it, Crosby said. College is an opportunity to clear one's head, and it gives room to reflect.
"Dating is not just getting to know that person for a potential marriage someday," she said.
It's learning the rules of dating and exploring what a person likes and doesn't like, Crosby said.
Freshman Christina Martins didn't want to lose her relationship when she came to college, she said. The pre-nursing major and her boyfriend dated all through high school and decided to lose their relationship title when they both came to Chico State.
While many may criticize her situation, she refuses to let what other people think affect her relationship, she said.
"We're best friends and boyfriend-girlfriend, so you never want to lose both," she said.
While many relationships collapse at the start of college, some prevail.
Megan Uribe didn't like the sound of the turkey drop, she said.
The undeclared freshman left her boyfriend at home in San Jose when she left for Chico, she said.
The distance is tough, especially when she says "goodbye" not knowing when she will be able to go home and see him again, she said.
"When I first came everybody thought I was crazy for even trying to stay in a relationship, but there's a lot of people in the same boat," she said. "As long as you both want it, it can be easily done."
Kelsey Siebert can be reached at ksiebert@theorion.com
Related links
Mood Swingers: After the breakup
WKRP in Cinncinati's Turkey Drop Episode
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