For ages authors, philosophers, poets, artists, scientists, and individuals have debated the meaning of love. Although most people believe that love should mean intense devotion or undying affection, there are many misunderstandings over its “exact definition,” and “I love you” can represent different things to various people. Although describing love is challenging, we can nevertheless focus on its essentials, such as what happens when we’re in love and why.  

What is the science behind love?

If there can’t be a concrete explanation for why we love someone, maybe science can explain it. Love releases dopamine and serotonin, which are known to stimulate the brain’s pleasure centers and create that feeling of obsession we feel when we love someone, according to “The Harvard Gazette.” Another study by Harvard explained that those who are in love had greater levels of the neurotransmitter’s dopamine and norepinephrine than those who are not. Dopamine, a particularly well-known component of the brain’s reward system, is released by the brain whenever we engage in behaviors that make us feel good, thus it seems reasonable that there would be a lot of them while discussing love. As individuals fall more deeply in love, the brain yet again produces neurotransmitters, this time with oxytocin, which is known as the “cuddle chemical”, and vasopressin, which causes feelings of attachment. To a certain extent, of course, all these chemicals are quite beneficial for humans. Love also contributes to better health, such as living longer. According to data from a 2019 study, falling in love can strengthen your immune system. Insider states, “In the two-year-long study, participants who fell in love experienced increased activity of certain immunity genes, whereas participants who didn’t fall in love during the study did not.” 

What is love incapable and capable of being? 

Due to its complexity, love is neither instant nor something you should hurry into. Rushing into the stage of love too soon might raise your risk of being hurt and make you lose sight of what it really means. You don’t experience love because you are physically attracted to someone. Yes, someone’s attractiveness might captivate you, but it shouldn’t be the primary factor in your love for them. Love just happens. There is no doubt that either person wants to be in it, even though it isn’t always simple. Accepting that you’ll occasionally have unpleasant days is important. Instead of causing hurt, help one another get through difficult times. Therefore, love is empathetic, compassionate, and genuine. It involves wanting the other person’s happiness. Despite this, every person’s experience with love is unique. Every day, we say things like, “I love your sweater! Where did you buy it?” or “I love you” or “I love those shoes; I’ve always wanted them.” How is it that one word can signify so many different things or be used in so many ways that it alters its meaning every time? The definition of love is as complicated as the concept itself. We can at least connect the dots between what every relationship goes through.

At WCHS, the opinions on love vary from people to people as well:

– Mrs. Sloggett, English/English 1 Honors teacher, “Love is when you cannot go about your day-to-day without someone on your mind; your happiness and their happiness are one in the same. Love doesn’t mean changing everything about yourself to accommodate the other person- it should be a natural fit.”

– Kaleb Tikkanen, Sophomore, states, “Love isn’t 50-50, its 100-100. If both of you aren’t putting 100% effort

into the relationship, it’s going to be troublesome. One of the biggest key factors in a relationship is to communicate with each other and have those hard talks.”

– Baylee Sherrard, Sophomore, agrees with Kaleb, “You definitely need to learn how to communicate everything or else it won’t ever work.”

–  Emma Decker, Freshman, responds, “Healthy communication is important to make a relationship last. Expressing your concerns within the relationship to your partner is important too.” 

– Liamaris Reyes, Freshman, says, “Communication and trust are necessary for any relationship to last because if you don’t communicate or trust, then your relationship has no structure or foundation.”

-“Being able to have trust in your partner is really important in a relationship. Constantly having a lack of trust can dissolve a bond and can drive you apart,” added Penelope Vivas, Freshman.

A recurring theme across the quotes is the need of communication and trust in a relationship. However, each individual has their own unique perspective on how trust and communication function in a partnership. When trying to define what love is or should be, there is a place to start; from there, the route diverges into countless more interpretations.