Finding love in college may seem like a Herculean task. For Carrington Brown, his job centers around achieving the impossible. The relationship expert presented his step-by-step guide for “doing dating right” to a crowd of ULM students last Tuesday. The workshop aimed to combat any false narratives or common myths about dating in college.
At the workshop, Brown explained the process for establishing a successful, healthy relationship. He focused on prioritizing quality relationships over quantity relationships and recommended looking for marriage, not just romantic partners. Brown defined a quality relationship as having three key building blocks: good communication, trust and refinement.
Successful communication allows romantic partners to address important issues without fear of hostility, according to Brown. As a result, each significant other places trust in the other, resulting in a long-lasting marriage. The marriage will be healthy since no issues will be left unresolved.
After presenting his advice for a healthy relationship, Brown answered questions from the audience. Many questions focused on how to find or meet your significant other in college. Brown responded that by surrounding yourself with healthy relationships, you will attract the right partner.
“If we take an orange seed and plant it in the Sahara Desert, it’s never going to grow,” Brown said. “This seed has the potential grow, but it’s not planted in the right ecosystem. It’s also so important for you to have an ecosystem of excellence because the people surrounding you will influence your relationship.”
Brown decided to pursue a career as a relationship coach and author after meeting his wife in college. The couple frequently speaks at universities, fostering a strong social media presence. Attending students, such as senior psychology major Lanaya Bolden, followed the Browns on social media and felt inspired by their successful marriage.
“After seeing his family and how they thrive on social media, I knew I wanted to meet him,” Bolden said. “I knew he was an expert in relationships, and I really wanted his advice.”
The ULM Counseling Center hosted Brown’s relationship workshop as a way for students to understand how to foster a successful relationship in college. Counselor Deandrea Carter worked side-by-side with Brown to organize the event.
“A lot of people want a healthy relationship or a healthy dating life, but not many people know how to achieve it,” Carter said. “I hope students learned how to start and be in a healthy relationship that they desire.”
