We've all been through it.

You fidget uncomfortably in class, every now and then throwing a nervous glance at that cute certain someone over in the corner. You hope to make eye contact and have that mutual explosion of fireworks and instantaneous love, but when you actually do make eye contact, it's a different story.

Caught off-guard, you quickly avert your eyes in a rather violent head swing, only to sneak a quick look back to see if your crush is still looking. Instead of focusing on the biology professor's rant about hormones, your mind is constantly thinking of scenarios for you to "accidentally" bump into your crush in the halls.

You envision a romantic encounter in which you will sweep him or her off of their feet with your endearing charm and lovable nature. Of course, once again, when the opportunity presents itself, your throat closes up and all you can muster is a quick "pardon me" as you rush off with scarlet cheeks.

Ah… the torture of love. It seems that here at Notre Dame and Saint Mary's, everyone is feeling a bit discouraged lately. Maybe it's just the time of year (Valentine's Day can do it) or maybe it's just the student body in general.

Everyone has a complaint about how difficult it is to find a good date here on campus. Ask anyone about the dating scene and you're bound to get a roll of the eyes and the bitter comment of "it sucks" thrown back at you. Girls complain about boys. Boys complain about girls. It seems to be a vicious cycle.

Of course, there are the selected few that do have a boyfriend or girlfriend on campus. Perhaps they were lucky enough to meet each other at freshman orientation and have been together ever since. Or maybe they somehow met in class or at a party.

However the lucky pair got together, it is an embittering experience for the rest of us to see them walking around the lakes holding hands or sharing a smoothie over a table at Reckers. It's enough to make you want to scream or cry about the unfairness of it all.

When did dating become so difficult? When did it lose the magic it once had? It always seemed so perfect on the television programs growing up. The hit show "Saved by the Bell" always portrayed teenage drama so well. Every episode provided some sort of fiasco between Zack and Kelly, with A.C. Slater getting involved in one way or another.

Lisa and Screech were a great pair as well. Screech was such a gentleman when he took Lisa to the sock-hop even when she had a broken ankle. Why can't dating be as easy as that? Reality never seems to live up to its television counterpart.

Students at Notre Dame and Saint Mary's agree, for the most part, that the dating scene here is pretty weak. It is difficult to assess Notre Dame's dating with that of other schools because opinion varies so widely based on who is describing it. Someone involved in a relationship is likely to be pretty optimistic, whereas someone who has been unlucky in that category will generalize dating as a negative experience.

According to Notre Dame freshman Sarah Brown, much of the difficulty with dating stems from the stark lines separating the genders on campus.

"Relations between guys and girls on campus are pretty strained," said Brown. "Just look around the dining hall."

This is a valid point. A glance around the dining hall clearly reveals the divisions between males and females.

A majority of the tables are in fact divided by sex. There will be long rows of all girls sitting together, as well as tables of all boys. This division of course stems from the fact that Notre Dame has all single-sex dorms.

Although a blessing in some cases, single sex dorms can be a hindrance for gender relations on campus. Interaction between male and female dorms is often forced, and as freshmen orientation demonstrates all too well, forced interaction with people just leads to awkward situations. It's hard enough trying to make friends with the opposite sex, let alone meeting someone date-worthy.

The weekends at Notre Dame don't provide a much better solution either. Although there is plenty to do on campus — sporting events, guest speakers, theatrical performances and the sort — it seems that everyone attends these events with their friends and there isn't much opportunity to talk to or meet new people.

Parties are a popular occupation on the weekends as well. However, the atmosphere of most dorm parties isn't conducive to meeting the love of your life.

Somehow gyrating to ear-pounding dance music in a dark, sweaty room with a strobe light doesn't lend itself to formulating long-term relationships.

Freshman Shantha Ready summed up the situation: "Crowded dorm parties are definitely not the place to meet guys."

With the odds stacked against finding a nice, decent date here, how does one manage to find a girlfriend or boyfriend? There's also that bewildering statistic that 50 percent of Notre Dame graduates marry each other. Such contradictions make the dating scene here hard to assess.

Despite what some may think, however, there are some fairy-tale love stories that take place right here on campus.

Take, for example, the story of senior Elizabeth Emerson and her boyfriend Rudy Gallegos. Elizabeth and Rudy went to the same high school in Hammond, Indiana, and although Rudy asked Elizabeth out during their teenage days, she consistently refused.

She refused that is, until they both ended up at Notre Dame. By sophomore year, Elizabeth finally relented and took Rudy up on his offer.

Though neither could have imagined it, the relationship took off. The couple went to each other's dances and even found for themselves a tree on campus where they could take their lunches to be alone.

Their relationship has endured right through to their senior year. Rudy is now such a common sight on the third floor of Lyons Hall where Elizabeth is an R.A. that some have been heard to comment that Lyons has started admitting male residents.

In addition to this, the third floor's section event during fall semester study days was to witness the Zahm bun run through Lafortune, since Rudy, a Zahm resident, was an organizer and participant of the event.

This past October, Elizabeth and Rudy's relationship took a new twist. On a particularly warm autumn afternoon, the couple returned to their tree for a picnic, for old time's sake. As the couple lunched on sandwiches and fruit, Rudy subtly called Elizabeth's attention to the tree. Glancing up haphazardly, Elizabeth's eye caught something etched into the bark.

Squinting for a closer look, Elizabeth read the words aloud: "Will you marry me?" Rudy then knelt down before the astonished Elizabeth and taking her hands, uttered the words himself. In the midst of a flood of emotions, Elizabeth managed to choke out her "Yes" before the tears of happiness arrived.

The pair then was met by a surprise gathering of Lyons girls for an engagement celebration at the Coleman-Morse center. Although the wedding date has yet to be decided as Elizabeth and Rudy settle their plans for after graduation, seeing this newly engaged couple together is enough to reassure anyone's faith in love.

As you dab your eyes after that story, keep in mind that this is not a one-case scenario. Dating here at Notre Dame and Saint Mary's isn't a hopeless cause.

It may take a little effort, but getting past the first step is always the most difficult. As Elizabeth herself said, "If it happened for me, it can happen for anyone!"

So next time you're feeling down as you look at the happy couples around you, just remember that it's not impossible.

After all, Rudy didn't let Elizabeth's refusals deter him from his goal. He shamelessly persisted, and he got the girl. Just like the football chant: "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!"

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