When I was younger, I thought everyone in college had their lives together — I assumed that college students were full-fledged adults who automatically knew how to cook, had a job, and could pretty much take care of themselves. I also assumed that most of them were in stable and happy relationships that would last a lifetime. As I grew up and came to realize that college students, while seemingly adult-like, do not, in fact, have their lives together, it still came as a surprise to me to find out that many people, students and adults alike, look down upon being in a committed relationship through college. A lot of the time, when people find out that I've been with the same person for a little over 3 years, they ask why I would choose to be in such a serious relationship through college, where you're supposed to "find yourself" and enjoy life to the fullest. And they’re totally right: college is the time where you’re supposed to “find yourself” and enjoy life to the fullest — and that’s what I’ve been doing.
Each and every day, I wake up reminding myself why I’m here, pushing myself to do my best in all aspects of my life. I travel and explore the world around me on breaks, visiting mountains and islands and countries abroad. Even during the school year, I make time for small road trips to the coast or to the mountains, ultimately quenching my thirst for excitement and adventure. I’ve hit rock bottom and bounced back too many times to count, and through all of this, I’m so glad I’ve had my friends, family, and my partner to cheer me on. Here are 5 reasons why being in a relationship through college isn't necessarily a bad thing:
1. You have an unconditional support system. Along with friends and family, it's really nice to have a third level of support from someone who is rooting for your success no matter what.
2. You learn a lot about yourself. It might sound counter-intuitive, but you do learn a lot about yourself in college and in a relationship. You discover what you do and don't want for yourself, and how to handle those things appropriately.
3. You can still have fun in college. I think this is something a lot of people don't think about. I still love to go out with my friends on a Friday night, and being in a relationship shouldn't hold you back from doing some of the things you love to do.
4. You learn to trust and be trusted. Whether you go to a school near or far from your significant other, trust is an important part of relationships — and also a big part of life. You either trust or you don't trust your significant other and that should speak for itself in whether or not your relationship is a healthy one.
5. You challenge and motivate each other. I love knowing that we're both pushing each other to do our best in life and to create a future that we both want to thrive in. It's that third level of support again — motivating yourself and your partner to do the best you can in everything you do can be extremely fulfilling and it promotes success.
College is a busy and stressful time, and it’s helped me realize that, not only am I a work in progress, but I always will be. I am constantly growing and changing — emotionally, mentally, and physically — and I’m thankful to have a solid group of people to support me along the way, one of them being my boyfriend. We both came into the relationship knowing that college was in the near future, and that with college, comes change. We talked about expectations and reality, how to better communicate, and what kinds of support we would need with such great distance between us. And while I can't speak for everyone, being in a relationship throughout college has made me a stronger person in a lot of different ways.
