The other day, while scrolling through Tumblr, as per usual, I came across a post that basically said that relationships stopped being scary when you stopped thinking of your partner as your enemy and started thinking of him or her as your buddy.
Remember when you'd have field trips in kindergarten and you'd have a buddy system? Kind of the same deal.
No one can deny that it's important to be a lone wolf every now and then, but having a partner-in-crime is never a bad thing. It's a number to call when you need to be bailed out of jail. Of course, this could also mean it's someone to share a holding cell with - to each their own, right?
Being in a relationship doesn't mean you can't go to parties anymore. It typically means you can't flirt with the cute guy across the room (unless that's something you and your buddy are cool with - to each their own) but you'll have a built-in plus-one for events. You never have to worry about not having someone to take to your sorority formal or date party.
The thing to keep in mind is that your buddy is his/her own person with his/her own quirks, flaws, and habits. It's up to the two of you to figure out what is and isn't okay. If your buddy wants you to be more open and honest, do it. If you want your buddy to be more emotionally available, make sure he/she does it.
Basically, as soon as you get to the zoo, figure out what your buddy wants to look at and what you want to look at. If you want to go to the monkey cages, make that known. If he/she is terrified of monkeys and refuses to go anywhere near them, do a self-inventory and figure out if you can sacrifice that.
If that's not something you can give up, don't assume that your buddy will change his/her mind halfway through the zoo. Chances are - he/she won't and you'll just keep getting your hopes up.
If you can't agree on a single thing to look at, ask for another buddy. Simple.
Ending a relationship doesn't mean that you're never going to love anyone for the rest of forever, or that no one is ever going to love you ever again. It means that you didn't want to ruin your trip to the zoo by being with a buddy who wanted none of the same things you did.
Don't let anyone pressure you to stay with a buddy who isn't right for you. You know what you need better than anyone else. And if there's no one in the class who's right for you - that's fine too.
Be a one-man wolf pack until you find someone who's right for you. Believe me, there's no rush to find your perfect buddy.
