We all have a story that goes a little like this:
You met him at summer camp. In the midst of four square, lanyard making, and the summer heat, you caught eye of a boy that made your heart pitter patter.
In the weeks leading up to the start of fall, you fall in love. You try to be together as much as possible; you can't imagine a life without them. Then when the leaves begin the color, and high school drama begins to be too much, you let him go.
After all, you're not supposed to stay in love with your first/high school sweetheart, right?
For all of my life, I have dreamt of the way my life was going to be.
Phase One: I'd have fabulous years in college making memories with my girlfriends, date casually for the free food and attention (don't lie to yourself, ladies), and graduate.
Phase Two: I'd independently find a job/go to graduate school, find a man, fall in love, and get married.
It turns out that my perception of my dream life was totally wrong, and I am young, in love, and engaged before I've finished Phase One.
There are so many pressures going against this lifestyle. Parents, friends, statistics, and social norms tell you that this is not the way that life normally works. However, every life is different. While some first loves are meant to be thrown out of memory, some are meant to stay. We are always on the hunt for our “person," and mine (and many other millennials) is my significant other; the one that's seen me through my awkward stage and still loves me.
Much to my (uptight) dismay, you don't need to follow a checklist of life. Graduate, find a steady job, find a man, fall in love…That's complete bullsh^t because love picks its own day and time to radiate down on your life.
As much as we want to, we can't choose when we fall in love. While some find themselves separated sporadically throughout the years, it allows you to experience other people, see the world, and inevitably decide that nothing can beat a fiery, young love.
Being young, in love, (and possibly engaged) is just another path in this never-ending journey. When you move to a new city, or even think about the future, you need a best friend by your side. You need a lover to comfort you, family to guide you, and someone wise to tell you when you've made a mistake.
What if all of those amenities could be rolled up into one hunk of a guy (or girl)? You get a piece of everything you need in one person. You have a person that will walk along side of you during your journey who is only there to support and encourage you, not limit you. You don't lose your independence by being with someone young; you open another set of doors for opportunities and growth to arise.That's what being young and in love is all about. Every day you fall in love a little harder, because you can only grow from here.
