My last semester of high school before coming to college, I was completely against the idea of starting a new relationship. But then life happened. Like most budding romances, it all started with a 10 p.m. Waffle House date. OK…so maybe not all romances start like that, but for me it was pretty great. We sat and talked for hours. When I finally left at 2 a.m., I sat in my car and realized what I was doing. In four hours, I had developed feelings for someone. I had done the one thing I had said I wasn’t going to do. For the next few weeks, I tried to break these feelings, but it was impossible. We finally made it official a month after our Waffle House date.
For the first couple of months, our relationship was wonderful. We were perfect for each other, and we were together as much as possible. Even though it was great, I was still focused on the fact that I would be going to college soon and was fearful that things would change between us. Things did change. A lot. But they changed for the better.
There were changes in the amount of time that we would get to see each other. Even though we can’t be that couple that spends every waking moment together, I never doubt the feelings that you have for me. Dating you in college has taught me that sometimes distance builds bonds stronger than a constant connection will. The fact that I cannot see you every single day makes those days that I do get to spend with you even more special. That spark that I feel when I see you after weeks apart is unexplainable.
There have been changes in the way I look at myself. You make me feel beautiful and confident, and you give me a sense of self-worth. If I complain about my insecurities, you help me find the beauty that I can’t see. My self-image is 100 times better than it was before I had you in my life.
Finally, you have become my biggest support system. There have been times when I have been so stressed that I have been on the verge of a breakdown. You are always there to calm me down. You really don’t know how big of a difference those little “everything is going to be OK” texts make in my day. In everything that I have pursued in college so far, you have been there to cheer me on. When I told you about an internship that would put me 1,000 miles away from you for seven months, you didn’t try to make me stay. You encouraged me to stay positive and encouraged me to chase my dreams. You have never tried to persuade me to give something up to devote more time to you. You understand the commitment that I have to my education, and I am grateful for that.
So for all of the changes that you have made in my life, thank you. Thank you for loving me when I sometimes find it hard to love myself. Thank you for always being supportive. Thank you for changing the way I think about dating.
