Eckerd's small campus and student population can make for not only a unique social culture, but a hookup culture. Interconnected social groups, small class sizes and mainly on-campus housing can make the dating world a difficult one to navigate during a student's time at Eckerd, especially considering the split in numbers: 70% women and 30% men.

Mia Faria, a senior in environmental studies, preferred to date men off-campus during her time at Eckerd. She cited the concern of overlapping sexual partners with other women, and enjoyed the social component of dating off campus as well.

"Eckerd is such a small, close knit community that it kind of scares me. One, that everyone can know my business, and two, I don't want something that is supposed to be fun to consume my academics and my walks to class," said Faria.

Because of the small campus, the likelihood of running into previous hookups or failed relationships is high and can create higher pressure on the relationship to go well — that, along with potentially seeing an ex with a new partner later on.

"You feel some weird sort-of competitiveness because everyone is going after the same guy. I feel like that's not what dating should be about."

— Mia Faria

The disproportionate number of men to women on campus isn't just limiting for straight women, but gay men as well. Kasey Chang, a senior in psychology, is dating a man off-campus — but not without attempting to make it work in the Eckerd College community. The dynamics of balancing relationships at Eckerd were difficult, especially in contrast to knowing his friends' experiences at bigger schools.

"I'm not cliquey, but I feel like a lot of people at Eckerd are. You have different outgroups of people, and they're always talking about drama about what other groups or people did," said Chang. This dynamic could in part be due to the limited number of students, especially considering that 87% live on campus. Eckerd had 1,893 students in the 2024-25 school year.

"Let's be honest, with the percentage of men here, how many of those men are considered attractive socially to the point where most women would want to get with that man?" said Chang. These factors are considered when determining potential dating or hookup partners, all of which can be limiting in options.

"I've found that [Eckerd relationships] are very unserious," said Emma Bonforte, a first-year in biology and marine science. "I always looked forward to getting to know them more and hoping that it goes somewhere more serious, but it never did."

Bonforte ended a long-term relationship during the fall semester, wanting more independence during college. Though she hasn't intentionally sought relationships while on campus, she has found connections nonetheless.

"Most of the men that are here are either in relationships or they just don't seem interested," said Bonforte.

Bonforte reflected that she may appeal more to the female gaze, though she found limited success with finding a partner on campus. Her experiences with women on campus were unserious, which she found difficult as someone looking for more long-term connections.

"I'd prefer to have someone on campus or in the area just because it's easier, but I don't really look for anything specific," said Bonforte.

Eckerd students work through a variety of challenges during their time here, from issues with roommates and academic obstacles to figuring out what the best meals are at the cafeteria. There are many factors that can get in the way of a good experience, but most are expected at some point. Adding love life to the list is yet another quest that likely won't go away soon.

"I feel like every person I've dated has been a genuine connection," said Faria, reflecting on her dating experiences at Eckerd and in St. Pete. "We learned a lot about each other, we've had fun and we've made each other happy — whether that was for a few weeks or a few months."

Reported for The Current · Eckerd College · 2025