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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCD chapter.

When you build a friendship, it’s usually through a shared interest, meaning you have things in common. What happens when you don’t? Well, lots of people would not be friends. Simple. The same goes for relationships. How can you spend prolonged periods of time together if you don’t have any similarities? Weirdly enough, my boyfriend and I seem to do just that. 

My boyfriend and I have been together for a year. It has been a year of college shenanigans, amazing memories, and endless love, all pushing through long distance for one quarter. I am the yin to his yang, and by that, I mean we have almost nothing in common. Yet we somehow make it work. He is extroverted, I am introverted. He is always positive; I am always pessimistic. He is cuddly, I can be somewhat of a cactus.  You’d think that being opposites would lead to several arguments, but it doesn’t. In fact, we are better together. 

hands holding on red background
Krysten Sliwinski
I think dating your opposite can be advantageous. It can bring out parts in you that you can’t bring out by yourself. Your significant other can push you out of your comfort zone (like my boyfriend does) or help you relax and focus (like I do). It creates balance. Just like batteries, opposites attract.
two different people\'s arms reach out in front of the St. Louis arch, their pointer finger and middle fingers coming together to make a heart
Jennifer Burk | Unsplash
I also believe that because my boyfriend and I don’t share any surface level interests, our love is based around a deeper connection. I love him for who he is, and he loves me for me, even if we are completely different people. Our conversations are never dry, we never get sick of each other, and we have the best adventures. I wouldn’t trade our relationship for anything. 

I know dating your opposite sounds scary, but my boyfriend and I are truly living testaments. He introduces me to things that I normally wouldn’t show any interest in. Our relationship is full of comfort and newness, something we can both benefit from. All in all, I’m glad to have both a relationship and life-long friendship that challenges me in a good way. 

Lauren Wharton is a third year UC Davis student majoring in Animal Sciences. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, CrossFit, eating copious amounts of Halo Top, and spending time with her family, friends, and Shiba Inu, Mable.