Can friends with benefits ever work?

Can friends with benefits ever work? Is it inevitable that love and feelings will always get in the way or is it just harmless fun? We asked the people of Exeter.

Bea Woodhouse, third year, Anthropology and Matt Carter, third year, Philosophy and Theology

Bea: “Yes it does, if you don’t really like the person.”

Matt: “Other than that probably not, because it might get a bit awkward if it doesn’t end well.

Bella Taylor, second year, Classics and Philosophy

“I think it depends on the personalities of the two people involved and also what their view is of sex. Whether they see it as just recreational or something more meaningful.”

Dominic Lowe, third year, Economics and Politics

“I think it rarely works because one person will always get more attached.”

Tom, fourth year, Economics

“I think it can work if you’re not actually that attracted to each other. It’s literally just that you need to service the pipes, but other than that no, because you just get attached to each other and it gets messy.”
Emma Griffiths, third year, Law and Sophie Gossage, third year, Natural SciencesEmma: “I’ll have to let you know…”

Sophie: “No. People can’t help but fall in love with me.”

Adnan Dajani, third year, Economics

Charlie Thornton, second year, Physics