My love story isn’t typical for a 19 year old college student. When I was 14, I met an amazing boy who I instantly clicked with and shortly after, we started dating. We both ended up going to the same college and talked about how we were going to make everything work for the next 4 years. It’s now our sophomore year and although there have been some minor bumps in the road, we grew from it and came back stronger. I am proud of both him and I for being able to work through our trials and tribulations. Our relationship has always been so effortless and easy; we never really argue unless it’s over something small like how I never want to watch Star Wars ever, which he wants me to so bad. A big reason why I think arguing is rare for us is that we are very open with each other about everything. When there’s something on either of our minds, we aren’t afraid to speak about it and are open to hearing each other’s advice and opinions.
Both of us are very involved on our college campus and while it can be hard to see each other, we find other ways to show our affection for each other. Spontaneity makes a huge difference for partners and definitely keeps the spark alive.You’d think that since we go to the same school that we would see each other quite often, but that actually isn’t the case. Whether it’s late night trips to Taco Bell or even him just picking me up to talk about how our day was, seeing him for those 45 minutes easily makes my day. I feel as though that when relationships have routine, it can grow stale very easily. Some of the unplanned dates that we have had become my favorite memories of us together.
Photo courtesy of Everton Vila
I know I said that spontaneity is one of the keys to keep the sparks flying, but spending quality time doing something you both love to do is a great way to bond. When you’re as busy as we are, finding time to relax can be difficult and we go crazy without it. If there is a day where we both have off, we force ourselves to stay in and do nothing but hold each other and watch our favorite movies and television shows. Recently, we binged all of the Marvel movies together so I could be prepared to see Avengers: Endgame in the movie theater. I would look forward to spending 3 hours or so once a week with him always seemed to be the highlight of my week.
Photo courtey of JESHOOTS.com
Random acts of kindness and giving help show that you’re making your partner a priority and that you have them on your mind. This can help create opportunities for connection and help make you feel seen and appreciated. Giving and showing constant efforts in relationships is beneficial to your bond and can help you feel secure with who you’re with. This can be done by simple text messages showing support, taking time to check in with your partner, or even creating surprises expresses that you are actively thinking about them and their feelings.
Photo courtesy of vjapratama
Being in a relationship is a constant work in progress and we both learn so many new things every day. Finding ways to keep the flame alive in our relationship can be difficult, especially after so many years of being together. But honestly, discovering new ways to do so is fun and helps us create new moments together. Getting caught up with what life throws at you can take a toll on your relationship, but it’s essential to constantly remember what brought you together in the first place and to cultivate special times and moments.