We all remember our first heartbreak. That gut-wrenching moment when you realize that your relationship with your significant other is over. You try and hold back the tears, bottle up your emotions, and pretend that you're okay. The days go by, and you try and go on with your life, but you can't help but constantly think of them. You ask yourself, "Was I not good enough?" and you spend sleepless nights wondering what you could've done differently, and what could've been.

You fall into a deep depression, finding yourself feeling restless, and there are days where you wake up and it takes all of your energy just to get out of bed. The pain and sadness come in waves, and you try and seek comfort from your friends and family because they're able to make you feel better, even if only temporarily. They'll tell you that you'll be okay and that time will heal, but it seems that nothing they say or do can truly mend the shattered pieces of your heart.

What I've come to learn though, is that the only person who can heal your broken heart is yourself.

The first step to this is acceptance. You must find it in yourself to accept a harsh truth about life - that it doesn't stop for anyone. You might feel like you're stuck in this state of despair and longing, but life will continue to move on around you. People will come and go, moments will pass by, and once you open your eyes to this, you realize that the only thing you can do is let go, and move on forward with your life.

Heartbreak is a time for self-reflection and growth. You become more vulnerable and aware of how fragile you are as a person. And when you're at this low point of your life, you find yourself in the perfect position to create the greatest changes for yourself. Instead of wallowing in the tears and memories of what once was, learn to accept that it happened and that it's over.

I experienced my first heartbreak two months ago.

The first week, I fell into a bout of depression that made getting out of bed seem like the hardest task. I started skipping class and I fell behind on my school work. All I wanted to do was cry and cry until the pain and sadness went away.

But one day, I woke up and made the conscious decision that I wasn't going to let this stop me from living my life. Instead of wallowing in the misery and heartbreak, I began looking at the positive side through self-reflection and practicing gratitude.

My time with my ex was beautiful. He was my first love. We had a great connection, and even with all his flaws, he made me happy. I told myself this was meant to happen at this point in my life because our relationship forever changed me for the better. I learned how to be more comfortable with myself and what I deserved in a relationship.

With all that he showed me, I became more confident in myself and my worth, which fueled my energy, passion, and appreciation for my own life. I realized I had been presented with an opportunity to heal, reflect on, focus on, and change myself for the better.

I decided to start being more creative again and pursue passions and talents of mine - creative writing, music, and photography. I've been singing and playing guitar more, journaling, and I even began my own photography project for Temple University. I surrounded myself with people whom I love, and I've been appreciating and just loving more in general.

All the connections I've made, and all the experiences I've had, I've been appreciating them more than ever before. I take pleasure in these moments, allowing myself time to reflect and be grateful for them because I've learned that moments like these are fleeting, and it's so easy for them to be caught up and lost with how fast everything moves nowadays at college.

Be grateful for what you've learned. Be grateful for how you've grown. Be grateful that you loved. Cherish the memories and experiences you had, but learn from them and don't let them hold you back from becoming the best person you can be.

I've loved and I've lost, but now I'm learning, growing, and thriving.