You are probably wondering, what could this article even be about? Well, it is about me kind of. I was that sophomore in high school who fell in love with the Italian foreign exchange student and we DATED. Sometimes I look back on that experience and I am in shock over the fact that it was actually my life at the ages of 15-16 years old. We dated half his year at high school and throughout the summer. I went to Italy to visit him that summer with my parents and we all went on a cruise to France, Spain, Africa, and Rome. After that, I stayed with his family for the rest of the month. I flew home alone, which is like a 15-hour flight. What a crazy part of my story that I can barely remember now that I am older.

People always ask me, how did I do it? Why did I break up with him? I spent my 4^th hour of class as a sophomore sneaking my phone into class and Facebook messaging my boyfriend and then staying up past midnight to Skype him. The time difference was a real mood killer. We tried to make it work after he left, but what most people don't understand is that if I stayed in the relationship, my life would have been dedicated only to that relationship. I would have planned trips to Biella in northern Italy to see him during school breaks. The scariest part was…. would I have married him at the naive age of 18 just to get him a green card?! *gasp*

In Italy!Photo provided by 15-year-old me

So here is my recommendation to you… don't be me. I loved having a relationship with a person from another country, but please wait until you are older and can commit to something as such. Don't put your life on hold for any dude or date someone who barely understands anything you are saying.

Next up…. What is it like doing long distance in the states! A lot of you probably relate to this one, so there are no surprises here. My situation was different in a sense that I dated someone of the Mormon faith from Utah. Not only did I do long distance, but I also had some far distances in there too. Our relationship thrived while it lasted and it took a lot of work. We visited each other once a month and switched off who would travel to whom. We made time to facetime once a day because, sometimes, texting is just the worst. Quick pro tip for anyone in a long distance relationship: Don't feel the need to talk 24/7. Try talking at night or in the morning and be content with that. Nothing irks me more than useless conversations that get me nowhere. Am I the only one?

Here is my second recommendation to you… out-of-state relationships are okay but don't lose sight of what is going on around you. I made that mistake because I was so caught up in when I was flying to Utah next. Enjoy your friends and the company you have around you. If the relationship doesn't work out, like mine, there's a chance you might have lost your friends and you will need to rely on them for that strength.

Lol blurred out for privacy purposes (but laughed while doing it)Photo provided by me

I hope you enjoyed this tiny but awkward peek into my life. It's crazy to look back and think "Wait, I did that?!" It's honestly worth the story and how it grew me as a person into who I am today. I hope your long distance relationship, whether it be in-state or out-of-state, thrives and I hope you find the correct balance in your life to do well in it. Much love xx