“But he who dares not grasp the thorn
Should never crave the rose.”
Anne Brontë

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Touchy Topic Tuesday: Following Your Boyfriend to College


Stephen and I met back at home a little over two years ago. When it came time to make a decision on where we would be going off to school we both decided on the same one. 
Let us set the record straight right now: I did not what-so-ever follow Stephen to school. Do I think you should follow your boyfriend to school? No. Do I think it is a wonderful thing that we both go to the same school? Yes

Let me explain myself here. Stephen and I both chose this school for similar reasons. We both love the outdoors and have a major infatuation with the mountains, but the truth actually is Plymouth wasn't my first choice. I had originally planned to go to the University of Vermont until I had visited Plymouth and fell in love. I was apprehensive about going to the same school as Stephen but I figured I would give it a shot considering life is about taking risks, right? 

Well the decision I made was a great one because I couldn't be happier.  

If you are thinking about going to the same school as your boyfriend MAKE SURE YOU'RE DOING IT FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS. Do not follow your significant other to college because you can't picture yourself living without them. Chances are you will be too attached to make your own friends and create your own memories apart from each other. It is important to have your own life as well as a life together. Many couples who go off to school together don't seize many of the opportunities college has to offer.

If you are going to go to the same school as each other make sure you are very independent and both have a separate interest in the college apart from being at school together. It should be just a bonus that your partner is going there not a reason. Stephen and I do great together at school. We each have our separate group of friends and don't spend every waking moment with each other, the same as it would be if we were still at home. We both get along very well with each other's group of friends which makes it great because there isn't any pressure from anyone telling us to break up.

My advice to you is to do what your heart tells you. If you have your heart set on the same school for the right reason then go for it. I'm so happy with the way things turned out and I know I'm going to look back on my life and not regret anything from my college years. Always remember that college isn't about partying all the time or hooking up with copious amounts of people but getting an education to further your academic skills for the real world (let's be honest). How you spend your free time in college is up to you and only you. I'm not missing out on anything in college. I still get to party, have fun, and come back to the same person every night without having to worry about hooking up with random strangers (not my thing). Do not let anyone tell you that having a relationship in college is "dumb" because I couldn't be happier.