More romantic or more realistic: trajectories and influencing factors of romantic love among Chinese college students from entering college to graduation

College is a significant transition in individual development, and romantic relationships influence future outcomes. This study explored trajectories of Chinese college students’ attitudes toward love (romantic vs. realistic) from entry to graduation and identified influencing factors. Using descriptive and correlation analyses, followed by growth mixture modeling (GMM) to uncover latent trajectory classes and multinomial logistic regression to assess predictors, the study found three romantic-attitude trajectories (“high-increasing,” “low-decreasing,” “low-increasing”) and three realistic-attitude trajectories (“high-increasing,” “low-increasing,” “high-decreasing”). Gender, major, extroversion, and hometown location influenced trajectory membership. Findings suggest the need for societal and collegiate attention to changes in students’ love attitudes, with targeted intervention and guidance to prevent behavioral, physical, and psychological problems.