4 Love Lessons You Can Learn From The Sister Wives - Part 2

And Langley said, it doesn't have to be costly or elaborate— especially on a collegiette's™ budget.
 
"If they mention a movie they love, wait a couple of weeks and rent it for them after they've forgotten about it. It's a small thing you can do together but it shows you were listening."

Focusing on the happiness and satisfaction of your partner is important in a relationship, but you might see the best results by enhancing your own life.

Perhaps you've been interested in the rock climbing classes at your campus recreational center? Or maybe it's joining the winter ski & snowboarding club that's on your mind this winter? Don't let your relationship bog you down from doing the things you want to do.

It's important to keep your life exciting and interesting, as well, which will essentially add variety and excitement to your relationship.

"Focus on other areas of your life so you don't rely on the person for everything," Langley said. "Keep it exciting for yourself so that level of interest is there and you're excited to share new things [with your partner]."

Langley, who teaches belly dance classes for beginners, recently choreographed a dance for a friend to show off for her new husband— an activity that's interested her friend for a while.

 "She's learning to do something she always wanted to learn," Langley said. "They don't have to be grand gestures, just simple, fun things that show you care."
 
Lesson # 2 You can have it all

"I never wanted to just be married to a man…There's too many things I wanted to do, to be free for."- Christine Brown, Kody's third wife

In the show, Christine claimed she had the chance to go back to school thanks to the help of her fellow sister wives. 

As collegiettes™, we may not be faced with the challenges of balancing a career, children, and marriage, but we do face the difficulties of maintaining academics, friendships, a social life, and a relationship. Being a young woman in a relationship and keeping your independence can be tough but is definitely possible.

Langley said to remember to keep your own goals in mind in a relationship.

"What would you want your life to look like if your partner wasn't in it? Remember what makes you happy besides them and don't drop those interests. For one thing those interests are probably part of what attracted your partner to you as a confident, well-rounded person in the first place," Langley said. "For another it's easy to lose one's self in love. I've certainly done it, but when you start coming out of the initial starry-eyed phase you don't want to wonder where all the other parts of your life went."

College is definitely a time in life when you're very likely to fall in love for the first time. Even though you might be in love with your partner, Langley said, you can't forget about the other people you love, such as best friends and family members.

 "Make sure they know they're still important to you," Langley said. "It's no fun to be around someone who talks about nothing but their relationship. Keeping up your other interests and obligations keeps you energized and even-keeled."

Lesson # 3 Communicate with your partner

"We've taken it as an opportunity to open up our communications, make sure we're being real with each other all the time ... to kind of protect against some pitfalls," Janelle Brown, Kody's second wife

A relationship between two people can be tough enough, but imagine adding a couple more to the mix. It's important that these people are honestly communicating with each other at all times to avoid any hurt feelings.

Perhaps your boyfriend lives on the same floor as his ex-girlfriend. Or maybe your ex-boyfriend is going to be at your uncle's birthday party because their parents are friends. It's important to be able to keep lines of communication open in a relationship to discuss tough situations like these.

"It's one thing to keep a little secret. But when it comes to the relationship, it's pertinent [to keep lines of communication open]," Langley said. "It's great they [polyamorists] can show other people how to be brave in that way. They're not afraid to say something that they might get mad at you for… they are a good example."

It's like the old saying that your mother told you: honesty is the best policy.