I come from a broken family. My parents got divorced when I was five and have been fighting ever since. One of my earliest memories is of my mom teaching me the word ‘argument.’ I remember thinking it sounded like ‘guitar.’
Needless to say, I did not grow up with an idea of romantic love to look up to. Although things changed as I got older (I got to see an example of healthy romantic love through my dad and my stepmom), I still found it hard to understand what makes relationships work.
Moving to Berkeley, I met a whole bunch of new people experiencing different kinds of romantic, sexual, or platonic love. Some were in long-distance relationships that started in high school. Some were going through miserable breakups. Others were learning about love and intimacy like I was: exploring their sexuality, going on Tinder dates, and figuring out what they look for in a partner.
This column will explore the complex facets of love and intimacy among UC Berkeley students. Every two weeks, I will interview a Cal bear and feature their story. I aim to capture the diversity of love and intimacy at Berkeley. Along the way, I hope to mend my broken perception of what love should — and can — look like.
If you are a UC Berkeley student with an interesting story about love or intimacy in college and would like to be featured anonymously, you can email me at sabinab8@berkeley.edu.