Many students find moving away to college to be an exciting, nerve-wracking time in their lives. For some it’s a time to meet new friends, and maybe even that special someone.

For others, however, it could mean having to leave that special someone behind.

A study published in the journal Communication Research in 2010 by the University of Kentucky’s Laura Stafford stated that as many as half of all college students are currently in long-distance relationships, and up to 75 percent will be in such a relationship at some point.

Stefanie DeLaCruz, junior psychology and human development double major, was with her boyfriend for two years before she left her hometown to attend UC Davis.

“The hardest part is probably just missing him and adjusting to not seeing and talking to him all the time like we did before I left for college,” DeLaCruz said. “I have work, school and internships and he works 56 hours a week and goes to school full time, so it is really hard for us to find times that don’t conflict with our schedules to talk or Skype.”

Senior human development major Chilly Her agreed that simply missing her boyfriend has been the hardest part.

“We were basically high school sweethearts so the transition of seeing him practically everyday to seeing him only once a month was hard, and it still is,” Her said.

Both DeLaCruz and Her, however, said neither of them lack support from their boyfriends they left behind. While both couples admit that it gets tough, they would never seriously consider calling it quits.

Maybe these two couples are just lucky enough to know they will survive the distance, but Counseling and Psychological Services psychologist Bedford Palmer suggested that all long-distance couples can last if they are willing to try.

“Like in all relationships, communication is key,” Palmer said. “Small things like assuring your partner in terms of your feelings [for example, “I love you,” “I miss you,” “Can’t wait to see you”], being positive, sharing the things that have happened in your life that they were not present for.”

Palmer also suggests that these long-distance relationships have the potential to be viewed in a positive light, and don’t necessarily have to interfere with schooling.

“Being in a long-distance relationship can provide a level of autonomy, which can allow students to be more focused on their work at school, and more focused on the relationship when they are with their partner,” Palmer said.

Palmer also reminded students that couples are going to have problems within their relationships regardless of whether there is a large distance between them or not.

“Some researchers have explained that relationship stressors happen at around the same frequency regardless of the distance; however, the types of stressors are different,” Palmer said. “For folks that are in long-distance relationships, the stress seems to come from being absent from one’s partner whereas in geographically close relationships, stress seems to come from daily hassles.”

Regardless of the distance, DeLaCruz believes that if the love is strong enough, couples will always be able to work through the issues.

“We have never thought about calling it quits, but of course there have been some hard times for the both of us,” DeLaCruz said. “But in the end we are always reminded how much we love each other and how our love can always overcome the hard times.”

Her also agreed that sometimes the relationships may just need to make a few adjustments.

“You grow up and you change. Your goals probably changed, too. The problem is that usually going into a relationship you already have an image of what kind of person your boyfriend or girlfriend will someday become, and when they don’t turn out that way you need to either adjust or let go. It looks like we’re adjusting,” Her said.

Both Her and DeLaCruz agreed that there are a lot of things they miss about spending the majority of their time with their significant others.

Since Her has been with her boyfriend for six-and-a-half years, and DeLaCruz with hers for four years, both students have gotten very attached to the idea of having their other halves around.

“I miss everything about him! Not only is he an amazing boyfriend, but he is an amazing person,” DeLaCruz said.

“What I probably miss most is the simple things that we’d usually do for one another; when I need to carry heavy things or get things from high to reach places. It’s the simple things like that that makes you say, ‘If only he was here, he would do this for me…’ That kind of stuff,” Her said.

Palmer had one last piece of advice for any couples out there enduring the trials of a long-distance relationship.

“Sharing activities, like studying together or cooking a meal while on video chat, can be good ways to stay engaged. All this can be done in a healthy way, if you manage your time and remember that people need to get their work done, regardless of if their partner lives close by or far away,” Palmer said.

MICHELLE STAUFFER can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

TODAY

Student Organization Showcase

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

West Quad

Join 180+ clubs at the annual student organization showcase! Groups can recruit members, give demonstrations, perform and let the campus community know who they are and what they have to offer. The Aggie Pack booth will release a limited number of brand-new Homecoming shirts.

Science Café: Medicines from Nature: Drugs that Changed the World

5:15 p.m.

Wyatt Deck, UC Davis Arboretum

Professor Ted Molinski of the department of chemistry and biochemistry at UC San Diego and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences will provide an overview of the development of medicines from plants and other natural sources. He will discuss the historical impact of this research and several recent breakthroughs that have helped lead to cures for diseases.

Circle K International Meeting

6 p.m.

206 Olson

Want to make a difference in your community? Interested in community service? Then Circle K is the club for you.

Student Investors and Entrepreneurs Workshop

7 to 8 p.m.

1150 Hart

UC Davis alumnus Robert L. Woods will lead a workshop about investing and portfolio building. Learn about stocks, bonds, insurance, retirement planning and more.

Vet Aide Club Meeting

7:30 p.m.

176 Everson

Join the Vet Aide Club at UC Davis to hear veterinary speakers discuss career opportunities in food animal medicine. Also, come for information regarding the beef, llama and poultry handling workshops.

THURSDAY

Fall Internship and Career Fair

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

ARC Pavilion

Over 165 companies – including Cisco, Teach for America and the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising – will provide information about career and internship opportunities for students.

Shinkoskey Noon Concert

12:05 p.m.

Yocha Dehe Grand Lobby, Mondavi Center

This free recital by the Percussion Studio is titled “What I Did on My Summer Vacation.”

Women’s Soccer v. Pacific

3 p.m.

Aggie Soccer Field

The first 250 students will receive free Homecoming shirts.

American Red Cross Club General Meeting

6:15 to 7:30 p.m.

118 Olson

Missed the first general meeting? No worries! Just come to the second meeting of the year and learn about volunteer opportunities around Davis and the Yolo community.

FRIDAY

Ninety-ninth Annual Pajamarino

6 to 8 p.m.

Amtrak Station, 840 Second St.

In 1912, pajama-clad students first sneaked out of their dorms to greet returning alumni at the train station the night before Homecoming. Free food, fun and entertainment will be provided by the Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh!, Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan Drummers, the Liquid Hotplates, the UC Davis Spirit Squad and more.

To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR, e-mail dailycal@theaggie.org or stop by 25 Lower Freeborn by noon the day prior to your event. Due to space constraints, all event descriptions are subject to editing, and priority will be given to events that are free of charge and geared toward the campus community.

It is just like Davis to be in the scorching upper nineties during Welcome Week, followed by gray skies and rain just two weeks later. Such extreme fluctuations in weather have a significant effect on students’ daily routines, from figuring out how to get to and from campus to deciding what to wear to avoid soggy jeans.

But adding on more clothing and weatherproof gear doesn’t have to translate to bulky and awkward. Sure, a hasty trip to the Corral to purchase rain boots and frantic scrambling to cover up with plastic bags will undoubtedly happen over the course of the unpredictable fall and winter. However, there are plenty of seasonal clothing options available for purchase here in Davis that are just as comfortable as a summer wardrobe.

Pinkadot

238 E St.

Cutoff denim shorts, sandals, camisoles and sundresses are hard to replace, but this small boutique offers items that help bridge the gap between stylish and functional when the fall chill forces a few added layers. The selection is reminiscent of department store collections, being a little on the pricy side but subject to decent sales as well.

“This is California – we never know what our weather is going to be like,” said Shelli Ramos, the shop’s owner. “Layering is key. We’ve got a lot of cute options in here to do that.”

Pinkadot carries several racks of three-quarter length tops and blouses that fit under their blazers or looser cardigans.

“You want to be able to take layers off, so that you’re not hot when you go inside,” Ramos said.

The items in the store are a cozier take on many summer trends, made of a mid-weight fabric and warm enough to get through the fall.

“This season we have a lot of items that are looser on top to pair with skinny jeans tucked into boots on the bottom,” Ramos said.

Pinkadot stocks oversized knit ponchos with hoods, lined blazers and longer wool sweaters to help create this easy style. Also in the store are dresses for the holidays, many that are long sleeve, longer length and are made out of a thicker material.

Gap

500 First St., in Davis Commons

Many students take the Davis Gap for granted. It’s one of the only retail chain clothing stores in the downtown area, and its location in a gaggle of popular restaurants makes it often simply a business to pass by on the way to lunch. A trip inside the store, however, reveals the extent to which the company has been preparing for the fall season with a vast array of sweaters, puffy down jackets and vests, basic knit layers and jeans.

“We have a ton of different sweaters- cable knit, cardigans, wool. And, all of them are super soft,” said Kauchua Vue, one of the store’s managers. “Every year they are a huge hit.”

Indeed, the store is stocked with sweaters in every corner and wall, suitable for every occasion. They come in a range of weights, from the lighter cashmere v-neck ($59.95) to the heavier, chunky knit boat neck sweater (also $59.95). Colors are mostly muted neutrals, convenient for matching when layering.

Gap also offers a selection of outerwear items to layer over sweaters.

“We have a collection of vests and jackets we call ‘puffers’,” Vue said. “Both are $98 and very warm.”

Just as functional is their lightweight warmth jacket, also $98. On the pricier side, Gap offers a line of leather jackets, ranging from $298-$350.

For bottoms, Gap has produced a sizeable collection of legging jeans.

“Many don’t really like the idea of jeggings because they’re snug,” Vue said. “But ours fit really well, very much like actual jeans. They have actual pockets, not fake pockets, and are much easier to fit into boots than regular jeans.”

The jeggings come in a wide variety of denim-like washes and textures, even including snakeskin. They are also available in corduroy, a warmer fabric for the cooler seasons. Each pair costs $59.95.

Renew Denim

222 D St.

Long pants are almost unheard of during summers in Davis, but fall is the time to break out the beloved pairs that have become staples or, if the part-time paycheck allows for it, invest in new ones. Renew Denim features designer jeans in a complete range of sizes, all of which are sold below retail price.

“For fall we just got in a bunch of skinny and cigarette-leg jeans in all the great fall colors,” said Samantha Ballard, the store’s owner and manager. “We have jeans and legging jeans in rust, espresso, black and in plenty of dark washes.”

Ballard’s store has a wide selection of quality denim that her connections in the industry have allowed her to sell for low prices. Brands include James Jeans, Rich & Skinny, 7 for all Mankind and True Religion.

Renew Denim also carries a variety of soft, reasonably priced knit layers.

“We have a whole shipment of turtlenecks coming in,” Ballard said. “And we can order any color we want, which goes for our v-necks and tanks, too. We sell them for only $20.”

For the rest of this month, Renew Denim will be continuing its partnership with FORCE, a non-profit dedicated to breast cancer research and awareness. By donating $10, or purchasing a used pair of jeans for $10, customers will receive 50 percent off a brand-new pair of jeans.

LANI CHAN can be reached at features@theaggie.org.