To save you all from the painful details, I'll quickly sum up what happened. During my junior year, I dated a guy that was a year older than I was and we dated into his freshmen year of college. Fast forward a bit and I ended up going to the same university that he, my now ex, does.
When the breakup happened I hoped that things weren't going to be weird when I got to school. The school was big enough that if you didn't want to see someone, you didn't always have too. But it was also small enough that if you wanted to see people you easily could. I was afraid because things didn't end well between he and I, and I didn't want to lose the friends that I made through him here at school.
Through some drama and awkwardness, I learned a few things and I've decided to share a few tips on how to handle going to the same college as your ex.
Seeing your ex around campus will be difficult at first. If you see them when you're by yourself, just put some music on and continue on your way. It's going to be weird walking past the person you dated and had feelings for without saying anything, but I promise it gets better. If you see them at the same parties you can do what I did and chug the drink you have and enjoy your time with your friends and dance it out or just leave and go to another party. However no matter where you see them, or how things ended between you, be pleasant.
It's going to be hard to see your ex with another person, even if you are over them. All I have to say about that is don't hate the person they are with. Unless of course you know them personally or they did something to you. Don't hate them simply because they are dating your ex you don't know what kind of person they are. Maybe they're actually a good person.
Don't go searching for topics that lead to your ex, it makes everyone around you very annoyed no matter how much they tell you it doesn't. If you managed to stay friends with your ex's friends like I did, you have to stop bringing up your ex. It puts your mutual friends in a very uncomfortable position. It's different if your friends bring him up, but by talking about your ex all the time in a good way or bad way it makes it look like you're not over them.
Don't try and show off your new boy/girlfriend. I promise you that if your ex has moved on and is dating someone else they have moved past that jealous stage when it comes to you. It's a waste of your time to make your new relationship about making your ex jealous, not to mention it's not fun for your new friend.
If you go out and get drunk either give your phone to a friend to hold or delete the number for the night. It just has bad idea written all over it. Unless you are friends and you're asking your ex where the parties are you will most likely regret that text the next morning.
If you hang out with your mutual friends a lot and you meet new people that knew your ex you have to get used to a few things. Get used to being call "so and so's ex girl/boyfriend" Just say yes and move past it. Don't talk badly on your ex to his friend no matter how much you want to. It makes you look bad.
Once you make your own friends and find your group you won't remember that your ex is there unless you see them. Just like everything else this all takes time, but it gets better.
