By Adi Arbell
The sweet reminders of Summer are slowly fading as the air gets colder, and I am finally starting to get over them. As I am cleaning my room, I picked up a shirt I bought when I was with my summer fling. All the memories come back as I fold the shirt and put it away in my dresser. A montage of our moments, calls, and messages floods my mind as I still try to get over them. This summer meant beaches, long nights, and no responsibilities, so what do you do when you meet someone special? Do you enjoy it for as long as you can? Break it off before it starts? Or lock it down and attempt to do long distance?Â
Whatever you decide, Summer is over, and with that, certain relationships come to an end. Fall is here, and that means routine, back to school, and everyone’s favorite, cuffing season. If I had the option to abolish the summer fling, I would not do it. I think summer flings allow us to practice dating, but without the commitment of a real relationship, we can see how we show up in our relationships and what needs to be fixed in order to have a successful relationship in the future. My “zen” approach to the end of this relationship is because we broke it off in early August and after a few days of being sad, I had to choose whether I wanted to cherish the time we spent together or be mad that we didn’t end up being official. I chose to look back on it as a positive experience, even if it didn’t end the way I wanted it to.Â
This was not my first summer fling and it probably won’t be my last. I enjoy the spontaneity that comes from meeting someone in a random place and finding a connection. I can
confidently look back at my summers away from college and remember that there are so many wonderful people and relationships waiting for me that I don’t even know about. This is what college is about: falling in love with every person you meet, whether romantically or platonically. There is always something to learn from each person that comes into your life, and with every breakup or ending, scientifically speaking, you get hotter and smarter each time.Â
Now, we are single and ready to mingle. Is the love of my life waiting for me at Thirsty Thursday in Greene Turtle? Probably not, but I’m healing from my summer fling and all the lessons that came from it, and I’m ready for whatever (and whoever) comes next.