My college romance story is not anything like I imagined it would be. I wasn’t on campus when I met my boyfriend, he graduated college several years ago, and, so far, there have been no boom boxes or drastic beauty makeovers involved anywhere in our storyline. So, I can’t say that it has turned out exactly like I thought it would, but I can tell you that it has been so much better.
In 2019, if you had told me that I would fall in love with the man next door just two years later, during a pandemic no less, I would have told you that you were crazy. But. . . that’s exactly what happened.
Bradley and I lived in the same apartment building for over a year before we had even seen each other’s faces. As a commuter student, I was (and still am) in and out a lot, with assignments, studying, and other obligations filling up most of my free time. He has a full-time job and runs constantly to train for marathons and other races. We just kept missing each other. We didn’t even know each other’s names at that point.
He met my mom first. She was shoveling snow and he stopped to help her before going out on a run. Being a mom, she told him he was nuts for running outside in the middle of a snowstorm and to knock on our door to let her know when he was back home safely. With that started a friendship between him and my family. He and I started hanging out more, then going on dates, and the rest is history.
Two years ago, I remember a moment when we were sitting on a park bench together holding hands. It was springtime. We had ventured out to see the cherry blossom trees during their peak blooming time. The magnolia and dogwood trees were blooming, too. Surrounding us were millions of beautiful petals, creating a sea of various shades of pinks, purples, and whites. I had my head on his shoulder, eyes closed. We had been talking, but now we were silent, just enjoying everything around us. It was a perfect moment. Very few times in my life have I felt that kind of quiet, peaceful joy.
Back then, I didn’t know what falling in love felt like. It didn’t happen all at once. It was a thousand perfect moments just like that first one that made me realize my feelings for him. As we approach two years together in April, I have been taking time to remember all of those special snapshots, all the extraordinary things that have happened right in the middle of the ordinary days that make up life. But that’s just it- every day feels extraordinary when you’re in love. Thank you, Bradley, for bringing so much joy into my life each and every day. I hope I do the same for you.
For anyone reading this article wondering if they will ever get their perfect college love story, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but the answer is no. Love isn’t perfect. But it is worth it. Keep wishing on shooting stars, because your once-in-a-lifetime love story could be just around the corner.