Long-Distance Valentine's Day

    Valentine's Day is not exactly fun for me. The last two years I have spent Valentine's Day with a gift from my mailbox and unfortunately the next two years will be the same way. 

    I am in a long-distance relationship, and it is not for the faint of heart. My boyfriend, Nick, attends Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. If you don't know where that is located, it is a twelve-hour drive from Ohio Northern University. Nick and I met in high school, and he is a year older than me. Nick is majoring in Economics and Applied Math with plans to go into market research. Essentially, he is too smart for me and attends an Ivy League school.  

    This is our second year of long distance and it just never gets easier. I would like to say that it has gotten easier with time and being used to it but if anything, it has actually become more difficult. Every time we are together, we grow closer and closer, making the goodbyes harder each time. This past winter break coming to an end was especially hard. He has a long winter break too so we had an entire month together at home, which most people would say is amazing and that we should be content. However, it was literally one of the best months of my life. We went from spending every minute of every day together, to thousands of miles apart. We knew long distance would be challenging and have been preparing for all of the struggles that come our way since we got together.

    We met in a leadership class. He was in charge of the class, and I wanted to take over the following year. We became friends fast and eventually went on our first date in January of 2022. The first six months of our relationship flew by because we knew what was coming. He would leave for Brown, and I would be stuck at home for a year without him. I had already decided to attend Ohio Northern, and I felt stuck in Medina, while he had a whole new life without me. The first year was really tough, but time honestly flew by. He used to tell me that it would go fast when I was a senior and I didn't believe him, but being in college has shown me that it really does fly by. We both keep ourselves very busy at school and help push each other to be the best versions of ourselves. Whether that is showing support and encouragement or some tough love, we are always very honest. 

    Even though we have only been together for a couple of years, it has felt like a lifetime. We know everything about each other and have big plans for our future together. We have to remind each other that in the grand scheme of things, this is only four years of the rest of our lives together. 

    Sorry if this post was cheesy or sappy, but I felt it was only right to write about him on Valentine's Day!