Interracial relationships are all the rage in popular media nowadays. From “Everything Everything,” to “Love Simon,” to “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before,” matter of fact, interracial couples finally have their time in the spotlight. For those who like to mix flavors and even those who have resulted from a mixed relationship themselves, it is exciting to see their everyday, normalized for the masses.

North Atlanta is a relatively diverse school and, as a result, mixed race couples are not an uncommon sight. Many of these couples have noticed a distinct contrast in the reactions they get here at school and those they receive out in public. “I feel like people definitely view our relationship differently,” said Shoup. “When we are out we get certain looks, but at school everyone loves interracial couples.”

Shoup, who is Caucasian, is dating senior Isaiah Hiley, who is African-American.

Outside of the walls of North Atlanta, couples like this may face backlash not only from strangers but from parents as well. This can be particularly concerning for people of color who may not receive a warm welcome from the parents of their object of affections. Fortunately, many of these couples are met with parental support, but there is still the occasional tension. “My parents have come around but at first I know they were shocked,” said one student. “They eventually softened to the idea after they met him, though.”

There are also, of course, cultural disconnects, but these are often, minimal. “He doesn’t understand why black girls wear weaves,” senior Kennedy Rouse said about her white boyfriend who currently lives out of state, “But I like to explain things to him that the average white person doesn’t know about black people. It’s fun to see him understand and learn things he didn’t know before.”

The general attitude among these couples seems to be that their differences aren’t necessarily negative, in fact they have worked to enrich the lives of everyone involved. “Before we had met eat other, neither of us had ever tried food outside of our comfort zone. But now I love to eat Korean food and he loves Lebanese food,” said Lebanese junior Abby Eckl about her Korean boyfriend, Matthew Yim.

Whether Black, White, Asian or Latino, race is irrelevant when it comes to matters of the heart. Love seems to be in the air and it certainly does not discriminate.