The total number of females at UNA outweighed males by 14.8 percent during the spring of 2013, according to summary reports released by the Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment (OIRPA).

3,759 female students were enrolled at the university, while 2,793 male students were enrolled. This is not the first semester the university has seen such a gap, though.

During the fall of 2012, there were 4,096 female students enrolled at the university, while 2,957 males were enrolled, according to OIRPA data.

There has been an average of at least 10 to 15 percent more females than males attending the university over recent years, according to data collected by the OIRPA since 2002.

With such a large gender gap on campus, many students find that dating or entering into a serious relationship can be difficult, due to the disproportionate numbers.

“Anytime you have a disparity in gender, the dating scheme and lots of things will be thrown off,” said Amber Paulk, assistant professor of sociology and human environmental sciences.

Even though individuals will go on to a work environment after graduation, Paulk said college is one of the last times to take advantage of having a wide range of dating options.

“When you come into college, it’s one of the last great pools of eligible dating partners,” she said. “A lot of the people you meet won’t be married, and many are looking for a relationship partner.”

Paulk said since the dating pool is already limited for females, it becomes even more limited once you add personal filters to the mix.

“As a female student, I could be in a class with 30 male students and not want to date any of them, for any number of personal reasons,” she said. “It could be religion, personal interests or hobbies, values or maybe I’m just not attracted to them.

“Think about it like catching fish: You throw some back into the water and you keep some. But when your net doesn’t catch that many fish to begin with, your choices are limited.”

On the flip side of the coin, Paulk said because the dating pool is limited for females, it is very open and expansive for males.

“Thinking about it from a guy’s perspective: they’re free to date any number of females, because they have a larger pool to choose from,” she said.

Paulk said this gender disparity is not uncommon for many universities across the country.

“There are more females in college than males all across the country,” she said.

When junior Amanda Frazier started her freshman year at UNA, she said she did not anticipate finding a boyfriend or serious relationship on campus.

“I wanted to date, but not seriously,” she said. “I had no intention of meeting anyone.”

However, Frazier said she met her current fiancé her first semester at UNA.

“We lived in the same building, and he was the Resident Assistant (R.A.),” she said. “We met the first week of school. He walked by me in the hallway and all he said was ‘You’re beautiful.’ I didn’t see or talk to him again until September.”

Frazier said she and her fiancé went on their first date in October, and he proposed to her last summer.

Frazier said she did not notice the gap in female and male students at UNA when she arrived, mainly because she was not looking for a relationship and because of the way the residence hall was laid out.

“I never noticed it because Lafayette is set up with guys on one floor and girls on a separate floor,” she said.

Frazier said she is one of the only people in her group of friends to date someone she met on campus.

“Most of my friends are in relationships with someone they met off campus or someone they know back home,” she said.

UNA’s location and student population could be one factor behind the way students date, she said.

“The way I see it, most of the people here (at UNA) grew up in Florence,” she said. “They know each other already. If they wanted to date someone here, they probably already would have.”

While many students will begin serious relationships in college, Paulk said there are several students just looking to date casually.

“There are some common points for both, whether you’re looking to date recreationally or mate,” she said. “However, the purposes are vastly different. Students have to remember that.”

Paulk said whether students are dating for fun or seeking a serious relationship, knowing what you want and communicating is key.

“Always be open and honest about what you’re looking for from someone else,” she said. “Don’t play games with anyone.”