This research was set out to thoroughly assess the perception and impact of campus dating among students of Federal University Dutsin-ma, Katsina State. The major objectives of this study were to: examine the nature of romantic relationship in Federal University Dutsin-ma; examine the perception of campus dating in Federal University Dutsin-ma; identify the social factors that facilitates dating amongst students; examine the positive and negative impacts of campus dating on students’ academic performance; and proffer suitable measures on ways to improve students’ academic performance. The study employed descriptive survey design and data was collected using questionnaire and interview.The findings revealed that, dating is a form of romantic relationship in which two people are emotionally and sexually attracted to each other. More so, findings revealed that dating in Federal University Dutsin-ma is a social exchange between two unmarried persons. The findings also revealed that, the social factors that facilitate dating among students are academic pursuit,peer pressure, socio-economic background, parenting style and the need for high prestige. Finally, findings revealed that, dating has both negative and positive implications. According to the findings, the positive impacts include improve in CGPA, ease of academic stress, improvement in emotional health and strengthening of self-esteem/confidence. The negative impact of dating includes prevalence of dating violence, sexual implications and high level of disrespect among students. It is therefore recommended that students should concentrate on their studies and avoid every form of relationship. Victims of dating violence should seek medical help. Parents should monitor their children in the universities. Stake holders in education should develop a curriculum on relationship education for institutions of learning to enable students understand the dangers associated with early relationship. The University authorities should enforce proper dress codes to reduce sexual attraction. University staff should help inculcate moral values into the students by organizing seminars, debates, conferences and other related activities to help them build their academic potentials and resist deviant activities.

Education is an essential part of human life which contributes greatly to the development of an individual (Luqman,2012). Through education, an individual becomes fully developed in all aspect of life (Luqman,2012). Academic success is a proof of commitment to an individual’s pursuit. Academic performance is a scholarly effort rendered in order to achieve academic success (Ames, 1992, Puklek, and Peklaj, 2006). Commitment towards academic pursuit influences greatly, a student’s academic performance. A student’s academic performance could be distorted by such factors as peer-group influence, recreational activities and dating (Lisa,2007). Dating could be of benefits and also result into negative consequences to students’ performance.

According to N’jole (1993) dating fulfils a number of specific functions that can enhance people’s socio-psychological development and ultimately promote a society’s continuity. Dating functions can be either manifest, the purpose are visible, recognized and intended or latent, the purpose are unintended or not immediately recognized. Dating is the organized means by which most people moved from being single to begin single coupled (Spielmann, Maxwell, MacDonald, andBaratta,2013). Dating is a somewhat ambiguous phenomena used in different vocabulary. Terms like “dating”, “going out”, “going-around”, “hanging-out”, “going-steady”, and “being-involved” often lack clear definition and agreement. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, (2009), dating is a social engagement between two persons that often has a romantic character. Sociologists describe the dating process as a marriage market, in which prospective spouses compare the assets and liabilities of eligible partners and choose the best available mate. In this sense, who a person trades with depends on what resources he or she brings to the exchange (Gavin 2012).

Dating has been in existence among countries of the world. Dating is not a new phenomenon but what it is referred to is relative (AlevDegimand Tao Fu 2015). Naturally, every individual would want to love and be loved. To most people, dating is based on an assumption that dating provides important experiences and valuable lessons that will eventually help selects mates and construct happy marriages. Dating doesnot really serve as a training ground for marriage, the behaviours that tend to characterize dating are not the sorts of activities that necessarily prepare one for the everyday demand of married life (John 2012). The nature of dating in the 1700 is different from the nature of dating in the 21st century; dating in the 1700, males and females follows dearly defined expectations in meeting and in time spent together (Eli, Chin Ming,Kathleen and Grace(2013). Parents were very strict to their children especially their daughters. Some societies like Ghana, Togo castrated their daughters as a way of avoiding pre-marital sex and births (Emmanuel 1998; Hanny Lightfoot-Klein 1989). Contrary to this period, dating in the 1900 differed. Economic and educational innovations which enable young people to interact with the opposite sex away from the watchful eyes of parents. The expansion of commercial recreation, technological innovation contributed to these changes in dating patterns. One of the things that most distinguishes modern dating from traditional dating is the prevalence of sexual activity in dating relationships (Newman 1958; Nievera 2013).