Break-ups suck. We all know it and we all hate it, but they are a part of life and we have to learn to deal with it. This part of the year is a common time for break-ups, especially among college students. The cleverly named term for this is the Turkey Dump. This is when college students go home during Thanksgiving Break and dump their significant other from high school. Not the ideal situation, of course, but here are some tips to follow as the dumpee returning to school.
“Dead” your ex, thinking about them will only hold you back.
The best advice I ever received while dealing with a break-up was to “dead” my ex. This means to cut them out of your life completely. Delete them off of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and for those few out there, Myspace. Delete them out of your phone, their number and all of the pictures. Everything. It might be sort of harsh, but it works! The old mantra: “out of sight, out of mind” truly applies here. The more chances of coming across an old memory on Facebook, the harder it will be to get over your ex. It’s obviously impossible to delete them from your mind, but external cues are easy to remove from your life.
Surround yourself with friends and family.
Going through a break-up alone is probably the worst thing you could do. Surround yourself with your family and trusted friends that love you. They will be there to keep you from a lonely slump that could make the pain last a lot longer than it needs to. They probably know you better than you know yourself, and will be able to do their best to keep you as chipper and upbeat as possible. Being alone just makes the pain worse. If you’re honest with yourself, you know that all you are going to do is think about your ex.
Now you are free to explore the relationship options at your own school.
Don’t dwell on the fact that this situation isn’t ideal. You are now single and it is a bummer, but it is also a blessing in disguise! Being in a long distance relationship may have held you back from getting to know the people that surround you every day at school. You may not have asked that cute junior in your literature class to study because your boyfriend might not have liked it. Well, now you have nothing holding you back! Explore new friendships that could potentially turn into relationships. But, remember, you don’t have to rush. Hearts sometimes take a long time to heal, and jumping into a new relationship isn’t always the best way to go. You don’t want any new fling to turn into a disaster because you are not emotionally and physically ready.
Focus on other things in your life that you may have slacked off on while in your relationship.
Being in a relationship can often deter you from other responsibilities that you have. You may slack on your homework, or act forgetful in your organization’s responsibilities. Take this as an opportunity to not only get these things back on track, but also branch out and try new things! Instead of spending your time waiting for your partner to call, skype, or text you, you can get out and explore things your school and surrounding area has to offer that you might not have otherwise realized.