I met this wonderful person in the first week of my freshman year. He wore a lot of lacrosse apparel and had the lacrosse flow to go with it. He was funny, athletic, liked hockey, and loved video games. We lived in the same dorm, so we saw each other a lot. He invited me down to a fraternity house with some friends, and we had a great time together. We spent so much time together, people rarely saw us apart. By the third week of school, we were often asked if we were dating, and when we told people we weren’t, we often got asked, “well, why not?” Eventually he asked me out, and we’ve been together for nearly two years. We had a lot of fun on campus together during those years, going to our sorority and fraternity dances, each other’s sporting events, and spending many quiet nights together watching YouTube and Netflix. I don’t know what I’d have done without him.
Over this past summer however, he told me he wasn’t returning to school in the fall. I thought he was kidding at first, but as he explained his situation, told me he was going active duty (and proposed, but that’s another story for another day), the reality set in that I would be without him for my final years at school. I wouldn’t have a ride to class in the snow, a date to on campus events, or someone to take long midday naps with. I would be without him on campus, without him in my everyday life. Having seen him almost every day for nearly two years, being without him felt like life would be impossible to carry on. How does one function when missing their other half? I didn’t know how I was going to make it through school without him as my safety net.
It’s currently been three weeks since the school year began. I thought I would spend it mostly alone, occasionally seeing friends, but not being invited to anything or not having anyone to go with. I’ve found that not to be true. With my free time (and I have quite a bit of it now), I’ve been able to get more involved on campus, tutoring students, and going to events. I have spent more time with my sorority sisters, who meant a lot to me before but have become my rock since this academic year began, and I’ve even taken an executive board position on within the chapter. I’ve gotten to know all members of Greek life a little better, and I am grateful for the friendships I have made this year. My grades so far have been the highest of my college career, and while I know it’s early, I know I can spend more time studying without the temptation of Netflix and Chill.
It hasn’t been easy. Every day, I find myself wishing he was here. We would likely be in the same classes, because we share majors, so we would be together before, during, and after class, and have many study dates (which would be more Achievement Hunter than studying, in all honesty). I would make us dinner, and he would help me do dishes after. Life without him has been different, and it has been difficult. But I’ve learned a lot about leadership, become more studious, and strengthened friendships with people who I’m lucky to call sisters. While I will forever cherish the days and nights we spent together on campus, I had some more growing to do as a person, and his absence has given me the chance to do so. I can’t wait to see him again, and love him as the person I am today.
