It has been said long before time that all things must come to an end. When that statement comes to mind we think of all things in existence such as life, our favorite pastimes or, the infamous word, relationships. Family-like relationships, such as mother-daughter and father-son relationships, are bound to last because parents are, sometimes, the only source of income and there is no way students are going to cut that relationship off. However, monogamous relationships are said to not last over the first semester. Being the non-statistical person that I am, I thought that me and my then-boyfriend, Joe, would stand the test of time, but I was sadly mistaken when I realized that long-distance relationships weren’t my style.

Leaving for college was one of the best decisions of my life. It taught me some well-needed responsibility and important life lessons that I’ll need in the near future. However, it also helped me see that affection and attention is what I was used to from Joe. When I first left for school, it was like I had never left. The text messages were constant, the phone calls were coming in faithfully every night, and the commitment was holding strong. I was bound to make my relationship work for the sake of both of us. However, that was just the first month of adjusting to the college life.

Once the partying, studying and extra-curricular activities came into play, it became very hard for me to keep in contact with the same person that I wanted to be with so badly. Although he kept calling and texting, I was so consumed with all of my other activities that Joe became an afterthought. He would get upset and the more I tried to end things off with him, the clingier he became. It had got to the point to where I would avoid him sometimes because I was just “too busy” to be what he needed me to be. The texts became more like pages on how he was so upset with my actions towards him. I knew that there was only one explanation for it; he had fallen in love with me.

To say I had fallen in love with him would be an understatement. I was grateful for the time that we spent together because it taught me what I really wanted and needed out of a significant other. However, the love we shared for each other was different. His love was headed towards a more obsession while mine love was willing to let him find someone to give him the same love that he was giving. Although he still hasn’t fully comprehended our breakup, I know where I stand with us and where I stand is that there isn’t an ‘us.’

Fortunately, it wasn’t another guy that broke up our relationship; it was, simply, that I had outgrown him. However, other guys did start to catch my interest after our break up. I find it to be very true that you can simply grow out of relationships with people and it is never a bad thing. Maturity comes with life and, whether no one wants to participate in it, it is a part of the “American Dream.” Whether anyone has outgrown or is currently outgrowing a situation, it is important to realize that it is not the end of the world and that nothing last forever. Whether they are lessons or blessings, we all will go through them in more than one period of existence.