When I was about 18 years old, I met my first real love. Our story started off slowly, because at first I was determined on being just friends. I was at a time in my life where I had no idea what I wanted, and he was the polar opposite of every boy I had dated in high school. He accepted it, but never really gave up. We ended up going to a music festival in Phoenix together, and I think that's when all of our feelings began to plunge forward.

I knew, under the neon lights that I could love this boy. Honestly it terrified me to no end, because I had never had this deep of a connection with another person so quickly. After that, we begun seeing each other most days. He went back home, over seas, for the holidays but we still managed to keep in contact every day.

Once he got back, things between us continued to gain more and more momentum. We went on a road trip for spring break, where we drove up the coast of California. This was the best week of my life, at the time. I remember how it was being with him; I felt absolutely fearless, like nothing could stop us. This trip was when I knew I truly was in love with him. Of course things between us scared me, because of the fact that he was graduating in the spring. I knew that Tucson did not have much to offer, and he would probably leave. So I sat him down, and explained that being together probably wasn't for the best. He promised me that he would stay, and he would always pick our relationship over anything else.

When graduation came around, it was pretty emotional. We decided to spend the summer out in Hawaii with his family. I absolutely adored his family, and this was when I really understood why he was the way he was. That was the most adventurous summer of my life. Every single day was filled with the pure magic of this beautiful island. It was the perfect place to fall even more in love. One day we were swimming with sea turtles, and the next we were hiking up a mountainous terrain, almost 4,000 feet up. My life felt like a movie, and I am so grateful for those memories.

To be honest I really did feel, with all of my heart, that we would get married on day; I thought he was the one. We were not perfect by any means. There were fights, and there were times that we were both in the wrong, but we always found a way to talk things out and almost always reach a solution.

Our whirlwind romance came crashing to an end when he took a job on his island. This was when I knew that we probably would not make it, and my gut was right. We tried for a little while after, while I was in Tucson and he was back in Hawaii. I even applied to the University of Hawaii, and got in with a program that would allow for lower in-state tuition. There was just something holding me back, something that told me that I belonged at the University of Arizona at this time.

I still continue to miss Hawaii and those memories from time to time, but what I am most grateful for, are those memories that I will always have. I still plan on moving back on day, and living in beautiful paradise (for my own reasons, this time).

The breakup was definitely hard, for those who know what losing your first love is like. I cried almost every night for a month. Whenever I would hear our song, I would burst into tears. Anytime I heard his name, I would lose it. My heart felt like it was going to burst at any given moment. However, as time went on, I began to realize how small of a part in my life this was. The biggest thing that got me through this time, were my friends. You have to stay constantly busy and surrounded by people. As soon as I was alone I would begin thinking about him.

I don't believe that sleeping or hooking up with anyone to "rebound" would help this type of pain either. I have never been the type to do so, so I cannot fully say. However, talking to boys and going on dates was something that helped me get over him. You have to follow your heart, and move at your own pace. That is the most important part.

No matter how much your heart aches, I promise you that you will get over that person. It will happen, because in retrospect, the universe did not mean for you to be together forever. There is someone out there for you that is even more perfect than the one you thought was Mr. Perfect. There are so many people that are meant to make an appearance in your story, but there are few that are meant to stay.

Use this time to work on yourself and figure out who you are, again. One of my biggest mistakes was rushing into a relationship with someone I didn't care about just months later. This was a huge mistake because I did not have time to heal and learn to lean on myself. This breakup really did make me into a much stronger and more independent person; it will do the same for you.

Now when I am reminded of him, I smile. He taught me what a good man is like. He taught me how I deserved to be treated, and what to expect from a man. I wish that there were a way to still be friends, but I know that it is nearly impossible. I am so grateful to him for our time together, because I learned more about myself in that year and a half than any other time in my life.

Just remember, there are so many people out there that love you. Be fearless, be resilient. You will be happy again.