"I mean we're like basically in a relationship."

That sentence is one that haunts most college aged students. It's often used to describe the point where you're no longer "talking," but you still haven't made it official. You hang out all the time, you've soberly dealt with the other person while they're drunk, they're your go-to for social functions. I mean it really is like you're basically in a relationship, but you aren't. You can't really get angry if they go to another date party or if they go out with other people or if you go days without talking. I mean, you get angry anyways, but you can't ever show it. This grey area is so complicated and frustrating. The worst realization about that dreaded sentence is that the person who says it is most likely the person who cares more about the relationship.

Here's the thing about being all-in in an almost relationship, it sucks. It keeps you up at night, it turns you into a crazy person and at any moment it could all go down the drain. Most of the time it's painfully obvious when you care more and that's not to say the other person makes zero effort, (if they seriously make no effort at all, leave you deserve better) because they do. They text first, they listen to your troubles, they even initiate hanging out, but there's something holding them back. This doesn't mean you aren't good enough or they won't ever change, it just means we have to learn when it's time to walk away.

It's true, the person who "cares less" holds most of the supposed "power" in the relationship, but not all. Whether the other party admits it or not, they need us people who care more. They need us because they have the same desire as most people do, they have the desire to be loved and cared for. We give them our all, and while that gets exhausting, without the person who cares just that much more, a lot of relationships would never blossom. We're the fighters, the ones who won't back down from someone we care about. We give our love, time, and sanity away because we know that love is worth the fight.

But even though love is worth the fight, we do have to know when it's time to walk away. You can't keep giving 150 percent to make up for the 50 the other person isn't giving, they'll either come around or they won't. Walking away is hard, but there comes a time when you have to recognize that you deserve better. Maybe you just aren't happy anymore and you aren't benefiting. Maybe you had the dreaded "Where is this going?" talk and they weren't straightforward. Whatever it is that happens, don't push yourself to stay. It's OK to put your own happiness first.

Never ever be afraid to go all-in, because someone always has too, but don't give up so much of yourself that there's nothing left. Being unselfish and fighting for people and doing anything to make them happy can be rewarding, but sometimes the most rewarding thing you can do for yourself is leave. I promise they'll be worse off than you because they will have missed out on the opportunity to be loved unconditionally by a wonderful person.

Fight. Go all-in. Take "almost" to "official." But never lose sight of your own happiness and well-being. You do your best, so you deserve the best.