A young woman I know has been involved with her boyfriend for the past three years.  She lives in NY and he lives overseas. She just completed her first year of graduate school and they are now ready to take the relationship to the next level.  He’s coming to the States and will be here on a student visa, attending another graduate school.  They planned to live together in student housing at the woman’s school.  However, since they aren’t married, the school requires certain documentation be filled out in order for them to live together.  They must sign and notarize an “Affidavit of Love,” a document which states that they are in love, are in a committed relationship, and they intend to be monogamous.  REALLY!  I am not making this up.

At first, the idea struck me as a little crazy and kind of comical.  An affidavit of love?  But then I thought, maybe it isn’t such a crazy idea.  Maybe all couples should use a document like this when they decide to be in a monogamous, committed relationship.  Would signing an affidavit of love make the decision feel more official, more binding?  Would couples take the relationship more seriously?  Or would it just be another promise which can be easily broken, like marriage vows?