It's all about sex-here and now: The dynamics of heterosexual relationships at Acadia University

The research seeks to discover students' experiences and perspectives on dating and intimate relationships, and how they define them. By exploring the identified relationships and the rural setting of Acadia university, the research tries to uncover any correlations between those identified relationships and the isolated location of the university. By using convergent parallel mixed method that included secondary analysis on an existing Hook Up Culture survey and qualitative interviews, the results reveal that place, in particular to the rural setting of the university, shape three types of intimate relationships in unique ways: hook ups, dating and romantic relationships. The findings reveal that the rural location of the university has an influential impact on the way that students define and engage in three distinct types of heterosexual intimate relationships: hooking up, dating and romantic relationships. Students emphasize that these relationships tend to root from hook ups, and remain temporary due to emerging adulthood and futuristic orientations to life post university.