Dating classmates or co-workers

[LordVader]

Aren't people worried it will get all messed up if/when you breakup ? And what about all the gossip that might come from it ? Unless it's some secret relation I'm guessing most girls would gossip a lot, well and maybe guys too ?

 

 

And what if 1 person decides they don't want anything to interfere with school/work, should they basically ignore the other person so that they don't lead them on ?

[Blanco]

Depends on the size of the company and dynamics of the people involved. Small company? Probably a bad idea. Boss and employee? Really bad idea.

 

Otherwise, your mileage may vary. Big company, especially one where the two people are in unrelated departments? It can work.

[smackie9]

You have two questions here. First one, not everyone thinks or cares about the repercussions of dating at work/school. Some do learn quickly it's never a good idea, while others don't seen an issue with it. I guess some think it's worth the risk, depending on how deep their feelings get...then all proper judgement goes out the window.

 

 

second question: some people like to get attention even tho they are not going to take it any further. Should they focus on their work? Sure, but we are not robots....we like some emotional interaction to make us feel a part of something. It's human nature.

[Elpida.]

I guess it depends as above, on the size of the company. I would just say to think about it a lot before going ahead. I dated a guy once that was in a different department of a mid-size company. We would meet and have lunch together and often left at the same time so people knew something was going on. It fizzled out but we kept friendly with each other so it wasn't a big issue really. It could be awkward I guess if it had a nasty end, even in a bigger business.

[mortensorchid]

I don't think it's a good idea to get involved with coworkers, either romantically or as friends. You have to keep a certain distance between you and them for your own personal health and freedom. And that goes for social networking as well, because people take things about you (in real life or online now), twist them around, and use them against you. It's a bad situation we are in now. People get a certain joy out of taking things and using them against you for their own gains.

 

Classmates? That's somewhat different but otherwise the same, you just have different goals at hand. Plus classes come to an end at some point and chances are you will not see or hear from that person again once certain classes come to an end. That is adult education classes not high school ones.

[lana-banana]

Falling for coworkers and classmates is pretty common---these are people you see every day and get to know intimately---but whether the relationship thrives or dies depends on the couple and the culture. Obviously, any workplace which bans romantic relationships among employees is a bad environment for a new couple. But it can still happen. Dating someone you have to see daily is a terrible idea, but love isn't always willing to listen to reason.

 

My husband and I met at work, in an organization where office dating and marriages were extremely common. While lots of people encouraged us to get together, there wasn't much actual gossip about us or other potential couples. The only real gossip was about standard work stuff (promotions, assignments, etc) and rumored affairs.

 

Personally, I wouldn't recommend pursuing anyone at work or school unless you feel so strongly that you would seriously consider changing your job or school for them. It's one thing to have a workplace crush, but it's another thing when you realize this person just might be the love of your life. I shudder to think about what would have happened had I ignored my feelings.

[d0nnivain]

The fallout after a break up is a consideration. With classmates it's not that bad. . . you only have to get through one more class / semester. At work, you do need to remain professional.

 

Those considerations should not prevent you from trying however