It is not unusual for college students to marry. (1)Often, the college years present young adults with two things they have never had before--intimate sexual experience and freedom both of which make marriage look attractive. The unrestricted atmosphere of college life often leads students into their first in-depth sexual experiences. (2)These experiences can be so overwhelming that both partners seek a more permanent attachment, realizing that the world now treats them as adults and that they are perfectly free to marry whenever they want. Unfortunately, many college marriages do not last. Age is an important factor. Women who marry before they are 19 and men who marry before the age of 21 have the smallest possible chance of staying married. Marriages that take place when the partners are in their mid-twenties to early thirties are the ones most likely to succeed. It is not hard to recognize the reasons. The same freedom that leads younger college students into marriage can work against them. (3)Once the novelty of being married wears off, college-age newlyweds find they lack the freedom to engage in all the social activities their friends are enjoying. Whereas others are free to go out for the evening--or go away for a week--at a moment’s notice, the newlyweds are tied to a schedule. Their friends may have years of freedom ahead of them, but the newlyweds are already committed to the responsibilities of marriage. (4)Often, college students lack the maturity necessary to refine their needs and desires to those of another person. This can put a further strain on the marriage as both parties argue over choice of activities, how money should be spent, and so on. And this comes at a time when both are learning about adult life and getting to know what kind of people they will be "when they grow up." Financial strains can also be a problem. In some cases, one partner will put aside her or his studies to help the other finish school. In the short term, this may seem like a good idea; but in the long term, it can be an extremely divisive force. (5)For example, one partner may complete training to be a doctor, but the other has not had the chance to train for a professional career because he or she has been providing the couple’s income. Suddenly, the couple find they have few interests in common.