I’m currently in my first long-term relationship, and after too many short ones, I have noticed that things are very different from past relationships. There are so many changes that you go through as a person and as a couple. I’ve been with my SO for a year now, which is a length of time that some would consider short, but most would consider long.
An actual picture of my boyfriend Jeremy and I
Here are some things that I have learned:
There is a magical trust that you build for each other.
You might hide your insecurities from them for a little while, but that changes as you get to know each other more and become more comfortable with each other. You and your SO trust each other with everything, including things you wouldn’t tell your mom.
You will go through a lot of emotional and personal changes.
When you are around one person a lot, you tend to change a bit. From personal experience, being with my SO helped me realize that I wanted different things in my academic and personal life, and helped me change those things. I would disagree if anyone said that it is impossible to make changes for yourself while you are with someone else. Everyone changes in college, whether they are single or not.
Your opinion or vision of your person may change, too.
For the first three months of the relationship (usually), you are completely infatuated with your person. Then you start to see more of them, and that can make or break the relationship. You eventually “fully form” your love for them, almost like completing a sculpture or painting. This could take weeks or years, depending on how long you stay in the honeymoon stage.
Love comes in many different forms.
No person is the same, which makes no relationship the same. It may not be a romantic comedy or that celeb couple on Instagram, but it’s yours, and you DEFINITELY think they look like an Instagram model.
Going to the internet for relationship help is a really bad idea.
It will hurt you more than help you, especially if you have anxiety or paranoia. Not fun.
Doing things for yourself is good for you and your partner.
As long as you are not cheating, by all means, do things for yourself. If you lose yourself in your relationship, you might still be lost when it ends. Avoid that by taking time to focus on just you, your family or other things that matter to you. Remember, you are your own person and you deserve to have your own life with your partner so that sharing those beautiful lives is wonderful and fulfilling. Plus, your partner will appreciate that you are taking strides towards being independent (if you’ve been with them this long they should understand the importance of that).
I really hope that this gives some insight to people who are single and that people in long-term relationships can relate. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
Source: Giphy