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How to Deal With Your Ex and His New Girlfriend

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Berkeley chapter.

I’ve always stuck with the motto that close ties should not be severed that easily. For most of my exes, I’ve tried to remain friends, or in the very least, friendly. I know that ultimate goal is incredibly hard for most people. I empathize with you. I’ve been there time and time again and it’s not an easy process to undergo. They say time heals wounds but sometimes it’s important to make the effort to make efforts in the now and here’s what you should remember. 

 

1. Never make effort for people who do not reciprocate.

If he has no intentions of being your friend or friendly, forget it. You are wasting your time if you do and all that energy can be invested into your gal friendships, if anything. It’s surprising that we only seek satisfaction in romantic relationships when friendships can be of wonderful levels of connection. 

2. If his new girlfriend harasses you, keep it on the down low.

Starting drama is the worst you can do for yourself. If she comes to express her anger or frustration in rudeness, know that it most likely stems from a place of insecurity. Do not mind it; let it go. 3. Do not flaunt your new relationship.

Doing so is a low blow. Instead, be happy and be grateful that you have found someone you care about. Be excited for the new relationships but remember that the more you put on a show for the world or your ex, the less you are actually enjoying the experience. 

4. Given that you bump into either your ex or his girlfriend, be cordial but don’t feel obligated to catch up.

Believe it or not, a friendly hi is enough. The past is truly the past and there’s no obligation for you to dwell in it. 

 

I hope you realize now that although it’s an idealistic image to be wonderful friends with you ex, it may not be realistic. If it’s not, the best thing you can do for yourself is to follow the above.

Take an opportunity to discover new things about the world that you may not have been able to before. 

 

Melody A. Chang

UC Berkeley '19

As a senior undergraduate, I seek out all opportunities that expand my horizons, with the aim of developing professionally and deepening my vision of how I can positively impact the world around me. While most of my career aims revolve around healthcare and medicine, I enjoy producing content that is informative, engaging, and motivating.  In the past few years, I have immersed myself in the health field through working at a private surgical clinic, refining my skills as a research assistant in both wet-lab and clinical settings, shadowing surgeons in a hospital abroad, serving different communities with health-oriented nonprofits, and currently, exploring the pharmaceutical industry through an internship in clinical operations.  Career goals aside, I place my whole mind and soul in everything that I pursue whether that be interacting with patients in hospice, consistently improving in fitness PR’s, tutoring children in piano, or engaging my creativity through the arts. Given all the individuals that I have yet to learn from and all the opportunities that I have yet to encounter in this journey, I recognize that I have much room and capacity for growth. Her Campus is a platform that challenges me to consistently engage with my community and to simultaneously cultivate self-expression.