: 2The Daily Tar HeelMonday, February 3, 1 992
I IT II II j
Students don dresses to defy national trend of waiting to wed
By Robin Lowe
Staff Writer
Formost UNC students who struggle
to make the grade and actually eat and
sleep at night, marriage is the last thing
on their minds.
But that didn't stop Todd Wade, a
December graduate from Jamestown,
from marrying UNC student Angie
Wilson, a senior from Madison, this
January. The couple wanted a short
engagement, because they felt God was
leading them to gel married now, Todd
Wade said.
"We've only been married for a
couple of weeks, but (Angie) has been
really busy," he said. "It's a big adjust
ment; she's taking 1 8 hours to graduate
and there are more things to do around
the apartment as compared with living
in the dorms."
Laurie Chang, a graduate student
from Raleigh, is another student who
has defied national trends by getting
engaged or married while still in school.
But Chang, engaged last summer, opted
to wait a while before marriage, so that
she could finish her education.
"My first priority is to stay in school,"
she said. In addition, Chang said she
wanted to be financially stable, because
money was the source of many marital
arguments. Her fiance attends Georgia
Technical University, and she said she
still felt like they were just boyfriend
and girlfriend.
Long engagements seem to be the
most popular marriage option. Accord
ing to the 1990 U.S. Bureau of Census
survey of Marital Status and Living
Arrangements, the age at which people
are married for the first time has sub
stantially increased in the past 30 years.
In I960, among women between the
ages of 20 and 24, only 28 percent had
never been married. But in 1990, 63
percent of that age group of women had
never been married. Among 20- to 24-year-old
men, 53 percent had never
been married in 1960. That percentage
rose to 79 percent in 1990.
Chuck Bumett, who has a doctoral
degree in public health with an empha
sis in marriage and family, said the
average age for first marriages increased
to 27 years old for women and 28 years
old for men who have a college degree.
For people without a college degree, the
age at first marriage is 23 for women
and 25 for men, Burnett said.
The average age at first marriage
decreased for both men and women
from 1890 to 1950, but steadily in-
Wfcw ftjR views on the subject wm ft cff '
"VMvmwr
mj vm uvins in3n ma 1
creased until 1990. According to I990's
statistics, most women get married at
24 and men at 26.
This trend is reflected locally as well.
According to the University Registrar's
Office, only 5.8 percent of UNC women
and 4.9 percent of men were married in
1 99 1 . These figures have stayed consis
tent from year to year, said Joanne
Kucharski, assistant registrar.
Sociology professor Ronald Rindfuss
said most young people were waiting
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TIME: 7:00 pM
PLACE: Rm. 211 & Rm. 212
CAROliNA UliON
longer io get married for a variety of
reasons. He attributed getting married
later in life to a long-term increase in the
number of years of education most
people want to achieve. "It's certainly
not impossible, but it's difficult to be a
student and be married."
Burnett cited the rate of divorce for
couples married at the ages 18 to 24 at
36 percent for women and 39 percent
for men. "Most divorces occur between
the first 10 years," Burnett said. "The
longer you stay married, the better
chance you have at making it work."
Overcoming and dealing with transi
tions is a big problem facing young
newlyweds, Burnett said. "Changes in
jobs, schools and other things all affect
the marriage," he said. "The older you
get married, the less change you tend to
go through and the more stable you are
.... You don't really find your identity
until your late 20s."
But there are still those UNC stu
dents representing the brave minority
that decide to marry at a younger age.
Ginger Meek, a senior from Norlina,
announced her engagement in Decem
ber. She and her fiance, who is out of
school, set the wedding date for next
December, so Meek can graduate.
"I've really been struggling with
keeping a balance (between school and
planning the wedding)," Meek said. "It's
hard, because I'm taking a lot of lower
level classes because I transferred, and
I've got this wonderful life sitting on
go. There's a lot to be done. I always
thought I'd be much older when I got
married, but when I met (my fiance) it
was so right."
Carmen Icard, a senior from Hudson,
has been engaged for a year and a half.
Her wedding dale is set for June 6, after
she graduates. "It's not been bad," she
said referring to balancing wedding
plans and school. "It's been a lot of fun.
I'm looking forward to graduating and
having a wedding all at the same time."
Rindfuss also cited an increase in
cohabitation and the rising cost of find
ing affordable and suitable housing as
other reasons for young people to post
pone marriage.
According to the census survey, out
of the 5.7 million partners that lived in
unmarried-couple households, 23 per
cent were under 25. The largest group
(4 1 percent)of unmarried-couple house
holds was in the 25-34 age group.
From 1980 to 1990 the number of
unmarried-couple households grew
from 1.6 million to 2.9 million.
Although Burnett knew of no figures
to depict the rate of marriage for couples
who live together before marriage, he
did say that those who live together
before marriage have the same chance
of stick ing together as those people who
did not live together. "Cohabitation is
typically a path to marriage," he said.
Some of the problems Burnett noted
among unmarried couples living to
gether were competition and communi
cation. "If couples don't communicate well,
and the more things there are going on
in their individual lives, the more likely
they are to have problems," Burnett
said.
The notion of competition, the avail
ability of other partners, also drives a
rift between unmarried couples living
together. "There is no final commit
ment, so you are aware of other poten
tial partners," ha said. "If you're in
school, there are going to be more people
around which can be seen as potential
partners.
"Marriage is still very powerful.
Some couples can live together and
some can't," he said.
While the odds stacked against any
marriage are currently 5050, Burnett
.said some studies predict the divorce
rate would jump to 60 percent or 65
percent.
However, relationships are founded
on trust and love, not statistics. For
those of us closet romantics, the saying
still rings true, "All you need is love" ...
and maybe some aspirin.
Campus Calendar
MONDAY
3:30 p.m. UNC Study Abroad will give an infor
mation session on programs in Mexico in the lower
level of Caldwell.
4:30 p.m. UNC Study Abroad will give an infor
mation session on programs to Argentina in the lower
level or Caldwell.
7 p.m. Job Hunting in a Recession. Steve
Roznowski, Directorof Human Resourccsal Ferguson
Enterprises, will speak in 21 1 Union. Sponsored by
UCPPS and Alpha Kappa Psi.
Rape Action Project will meet in 208 Union.
Epsilon Sigma Alpha will have formal rush in 206
Union.
Men's Club Tennis will have an organizational
meeting in 104 Fctzerforall interested.
Sonja H. Slone lll.uk Cultural Center will hold
a mandatory training session for volunteers for the
Communiversily program in the SIISHCC.
7:30 p.m. Carolina Crilic will meet in Suite C of
the Union. Questions? Call Grant at M32-I567 or Jim
at 933-37X1.
Ballroom Dance Club meets in026Woolcn.Swini!
Lesson followed by dancing at 8:30 p.m.
Rep. David Price will be spcukiim in the Dialectic
Chambers of New West. Sponsored by Dialectic &
rmianinrupic societies.
8 p.m. a. p. p. I.e. i Student ActionGrouDmeotine
in 208 Union. -
8:30 p.m. Fellowship of Christian Athletes pre
sents former New York Yankees All-Star Bobby
Richardson in Carmichacl Ballroom.
TUESDAY
4 p.m. FederalStale Government Careers Panel
will be held in 210 Hancs. Sponsored by UCPPS.
5:30 p.m. Sonja H. Stone Task Force will hold its
first meeting of the semester in the SIISBCC.
7 p.m. UNC Undergraduate History Association
will have an informational meeting in 569 Hamilton.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
Peer Leadership Consultants applications arc
available starting Feb. 3 at 01 Steele or at the Union
Desk and arc due by Feb. 24.
SAFE Escort resumes service Feb. 2. SAFE oper
ates from Sunday through Thursday 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
and can be contacted at Davis or at 2-SAI'E.
Sigma Camma Rhowill hold"A Laugh. A Tear."
The Black Experience Film Fest '92,al 7p.m. Feb.4
6 in Carmichael Ballroom. Admission is free.
Carolina Aids Resources Ensemble is looking for
students interested in building AIDSawarcncss. rais
ing funds for HIV-positive people, and volunteering
within our community. Call Cynthia at 933-2976.
Phi Eta SlRma members: Graduate scholarship
audundergraduatcaward applications are available in
the Honors Office. 300 Steele.
CAMP DAY '92: Talk to representatives from 50
camps from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 5 in Great Hall
about working at a summer camp.
Freshmen and sophumores: Applications for the
Honors Program are available outside 300 Steele
Building and arc due by Feb. 7.
Accounting Student Association will offer free
tax assistance for Forms I040I-Z, IO40A. and Basic
1040. Bring W-2s. I (N9s, and lax forms you recicved
in the mail from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday,
and 1 0 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday toCarr Mill
Mall.
Class of '38 Summer Study Abroad Fellowship
Applications Tor three fellowships of about $2,600
each are available at the International Cculcrand are
due March 9. Questions? Call 962-5661.
ARTS
The Connclls: 8 p.m. Friday in Memorial Hall.
$12.50 studcnls$l4.SO general public at the Union
Box Office.
"Ain't MisliehavinV presented by the Union
Performing Arts Series: 8 p.m. Sunday in Memorial
I tall. $5 studenls$ 10 general public al the Union Box
Office.
Terence Blanthard Quintet, as part of the Jazz
Festival: 8 p.m. Feb. 2 1 in Memorial Hall. $4 students
$8 general public al the Union Box Office.
6
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u
Lru
J
will be at the
Bulls Head Bookshop
to autograph his book
mrv
y
I- II :.- - - II
I Lfl LI (J
on Wednesday y February 5
A 2:00-3:00 pm
call 962-5060 for more information
Bull's Head Bookshop
UJNtbtudent Stores 962-5060
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