My freshman year of college, I was so ready to get the ball rolling and do fantastic in all of my classes. I over-packed and over-prepared myself for the hard work and long nights that were yet to come. During Advantage Week, I wrote in my planner every day and kept up on what I had planned each day. Soon after, classes started and I continued the good habit of writing in my planner and completing assignments before they were due. I did relatively well for my first semester of college and I was proud of myself to get above a 3.0.

After returning from Christmas break, I was still willing to work hard and succeed at my last semester as a freshman. However, something happened that fogged up my better judgment and shifted my priorities; I met a college guy. Don't get me wrong, I met guys earlier in the year but no one compared to him. I fell in love the second I saw him and I wanted to spend every second with him. I skipped class, blew off mandatory events and barely even thought about my grades because I would have rather hung out with him. My grades were drowning rapidly and I didn't notice it, until it was already too late to save them.

I begged all of my professors to give me opportunities to get my grades up, but they were just too low to salvage. I ended the semester with a 1.79 and severely bruised self-confidence. I dated him throughout the spring and summer trimesters, but I decided to make some changes. I cleared my head and realized that I'm at school to learn and get a degree. Not to ditch class and blow off homework, especially to spend time with a guy. I signed up for two summer classes, one being a class I took with him and that made me realize a few unbelievably important things.

First of all, I realized that I should be with someone who wants me to succeed in school and he did! While taking that summer class together, we worked together and helped each other when needed. I realized that it wasn't him making me unsuccessful by acting as a distraction, but rather it was me letting him distract me. Secondly, I realized that at this point in my life, my education is the most important thing and it's up to me to stay focused on my goals. Lastly, that summer helped me realize how much I love him and that doing well in college will help both of us and our future together. That alone gave me motivation to get back on track and blow my spring trimester out of the water.

With all of this being said, I got a 3.5 for my summer trimester, we just celebrated our five month anniversary, and I'm already killing my sophomore year. I just want everyone to understand that finding love in college is important, but your academics is the most important. If your relationship doesn't work out, you can still have a degree to cuddle with at the end of the night. And if your relationship does work out, you can have a degree to cuddle with at night and a successful husband to wake up to every morning.