Dating in college is hard. You have to balance school work, studying, clubs, activities and even planning time to eat. On top of that, you decided to add a boyfriend to your social life. But not just any boyfriend—a student athlete, to be specific.
When life couldn't get any crazier, you manage to somehow make it work. You learn to enjoy the time you get to spend with them when they're finally free, and you realize that their precious time they do manage to have is spent on you. Your relationship is different from others, and honestly, you wouldn't want it any other way. You learn there are so many important qualities in your relationship that can only make you stronger as a couple.
One of the many things you learn as a girlfriend to a student athlete is to become a supporter. You gain an understanding of what it means to support him in and out of practice. Not only do you always try your hardest be there for every sports event of his, but you congratulate him on all his test scores, help him study for all of his quizzes, proofread his papers and celebrate all the little victories he and you both accomplish together. You are there for him through his best accomplishments and his bad days. For instance, I surprised my boyfriend by driving seven hours to a meet once because I just wanted to be there for him. I couldn't care less if he did badly or well, but I know he could use the support and comfort of knowing that someone who cares about him is there for him. This week I'm flying down to his national meet, and all I want is to be there no matter the outcome: this is what supporters do. You'll soon learn that your boyfriend's motivation inspires you to become a better person, and that's all we can ask for—to be with someone who makes us a better person. You become his rock, and he becomes yours. You overcome obstacles together as a couple, and he is right there behind you. He's there to support you even through your school work, social events, your personal beliefs and the dreams you want to accomplish. He knows what it's like to have someone who would do the same for him. He wouldn't tear down your goals, he wants to help you reach them.
The second of the many things I've come to grasp is the idea of understanding. Understanding that things will come up, and they're bound to occur. Understanding that things won't always go the way they are planned out to go, but being okay with the outcome because it's not the end of the world. Sometimes practice will go over, and sometimes he has a meet or game the same day you had something planned to do just the two of you, or maybe you had something come up in school and can't see him that night. Things happen, and it's having the understanding that sometimes neither of you have control over the situation that helps you get through it. It's almost a blessing to say that he understands if something were to come up for you because he has been in that boat so many times. With understanding comes a sense of problem solving. You learn that there is no situation that pops up that is too big to readjust your plans to. God always has a funny way of working things out, and typically your night ends up better than you imagined it anyway. You understand he is a busy man and makes time for you because you are special to him. If that doesn't make you feel special, I don't know what will!
The third idea is the sense of appreciation. You learn to appreciate all of the time you two get to spend together because his time is valuable. You know he could be doing so many other things, yet he chooses you over them all. You learn to appreciate all of the accomplishments he shares with you because he wants to celebrate and embrace them with you. It makes you realize how much you mean to him. I appreciate that my boyfriend comes to me for reassurance, guidance and sometimes just to listen to what he has to say. I know he appreciates me as his girlfriend, and I do not take that for granted because I know he has other teammates and friends who he can go to instead. But he chooses me, and for that I am thankful.
Lastly, you will become so proud of him. You will tell others about his accomplishments because he makes you so ecstatic to call him your boyfriend. He treats you well and brings qualities to your relationship that make you two stronger. He tries his hardest in and out of the classroom, and it really does pay off. You will be so proud of his efforts in everything he does, and he will be so proud to call you his girlfriend because he knows what you have to go through to date a student athlete.
You have learned to love the ride with him, and you wouldn't change a thing about your hectic time together. You have taken so much with you that you will hold close to your heart because you know after a long day he'll always manage to make you feel like a one-in-a-million girl.
