Editor’s Note: Sources were given fake names to keep their identities and information anonymous. This story is a recurring relationship column, focusing on the lives of students.
“Conrad” met his girlfriend, “Belly,” on Tinder nearly three years ago. After the two began dating, they experienced the “honeymoon phase” early in their relationship. Despite the “phase” lasting for a year and a half, the two stayed steady, even after realizing what the real world holds for them after graduation.
“There is a honeymoon phase, and it’s different for everyone,” Conrad said. “I would say that … (was when) we felt the most free. I think the only reason we lost that was because life started to get serious, and we had to start focusing on more things, but I don’t think the love is different or faded in any way. Our focuses have been more spread out and shifted.”
Conrad’s concept of love in their relationship stems from compromise and coming to a conclusion together. His plans for the future involve pursuing film in Los Angeles — however, Belly seeks to be in New York after graduation.
Conrad said his plans are more malleable than Belly’s, allowing him to compromise his dream location for a chance to be together. Belly’s hate for Los Angeles and Conrad’s love for Belly sparked a conversation of sacrifice, both giving up one thing in order to bear the distance from home.
“Poets and plays, they can tell you that love is work and it’s hard,” Conrad said. “It takes more than hard work. It takes compromise. If you want something to last, … you (have) to put effort into it, and you have to be ready to make some sacrifice. … People will often say that love should be easy, but that’s just not the case. The feeling of love should be easy, but nurturing and keeping love alive is always going to be hard, and if it’s not hard, then it’s not going to be worth it.”
Being in a relationship for nearly three years in college proves to be difficult. From personal experience, relationships like this are one in a million. Bending over backwards for someone can feel like a disconnect from the real world. Conrad said he feels he’s been the flexible one when deciding what factors are important for continuing their relationship after moving out of Texas. While some people are headstrong with their partners, Conrad wants to find someone to be held by.
“There are always going to be moments for me where I second-guess myself, or stop and think,” Conrad said. “I always wanted to be famous. I always wanted to be celebrated and achieve big things, but then, after I take a second and stop and think about my girlfriend, … it’s easy to be okay with a quiet life. All of my dreams go away when I see the future with (her). It’s just about staying hopeful, and I’m hopeful.”
