I don't consider myself to be a very sentimental person, but after being in a relationship for three years, I decided to reflect on things I've learned. When I do happen to reflect on life moments, experiences, or relationships with people, it makes me realize that I learn a lot and even change a lot from these moments. Here are three major things I've learned after being in a relationship for three years.

1. You don't have to be overly romantic.

People, especially those around college age, tend to dream about movie-like, romantic relationships. They expect flowers, extravagant dates, and everything to be just perfect. This is likely the case for most relationships as they start out, as you want to make a good impression.

However, over time these romantic gestures tend to die down. It's not a bad thing at all; romance can be shown in simpler ways, and you are secure enough in your relationship to know they care.

2. You become comfortable with them.

When you first get to know someone, you are understandably more reserved and shy; you don't know them super well yet, so it takes a while to warm up. However, after knowing them for a while, you can 100% be yourself and talk about anything.

As you get comfortable in a relationship, you find them to be a best friend to you, in addition to being a significant other.

3. You can watch each other grow.

All of us do a lot of personal growth through our teens and twenties. We are trying to figure out our future, what we want to do with our lives, and become wiser. Being in a relationship at a young age doesn't have to stop this growth; instead, you can watch someone grow alongside you. It's important to be independent and figure out what you want on your own, but it's nice to have someone who's going through the same period of growth and is there to support you no matter what path your life takes.