Trust yourself and embrace your intuition

Having a high school sweetheart is a controversial topic. Some people think it’s so sweet that we’ve been together so long while others think we’re crazy for getting together at such a young age. Everyone seems to have an opinion on whether you will stay together or break up. I get unsolicited relationship advice from almost anyone I talk to. 

So, you could imagine the type of responses I would get when I would tell people we were going to the same college. And then when I would say we were planning on living together. I had not only close friends and family tell me it was a bad idea, but teachers in my school would tell me we would never last. I’m not sure what it is about having a serious relationship in high school that freaks people out so much. Maybe it’s different for me because my grandparents are high school sweethearts and are still married today.

Dylan and I started dating in 2017 which was our freshman year of high school. Starting our relationship at such a young age allowed us to grow together as a couple. I think this was a big reason we felt confident enough to go to the same college together.

Even with all the negative comments Dylan and I still saw no problem with us coming to Bloomsburg together, and I am so glad we made that decision. From the day I moved in freshman year to the day I graduate, he will always be there for me. It always comforted me to know I had at least one person in Bloom I could go to. Especially when I struggled to find really close friends in the beginning.

Once Dylan and I started dating in high school I would myself become more comfortable being with just him which caused me to not find new friends. By the time we graduated high school, I realized that I only had Dylan plus one or two friends. When I went to college, I was determined to not let this be the case again. Although I still loved spending time with Dylan, I had to be sure I tried to meet new friends.

When we returned for our sophomore year neither one of us knew who to room with. We figured we could do random housing if we lived on campus, but that was nerve-racking. Finally, we had the idea we could get an off-campus apartment together. It was definitely a risky decision that everyone also had an opinion on, but we felt confident. So many people would say “What happens if you break up”, but why would I plan on us breaking up? It just seemed silly to me to not do what I wanted because we may or may not break up.

I feel like this decision really shaped my college experience. Not only did it bring us closer together, but it helped us form a very tight-knit friend group. My friends became his friends and vice versa. We all became one big friend group instead of two divided. Embrace the opportunity to make new connections whether that be from your significant other’s friends or open to introducing two different friend groups. It is something I will struggle with not having after I graduate. When we leave Bloomsburg, we already know we will have to live with our parents for a little while to save up money. Who knows how soon out of college we will get a job or if we will be making enough to get an apartment together. We want to wait to move out till when we feel financially comfortable enough to. It is going to be so hard not being together as much. But I still have a few more months of us living in the same apartment and having the same schedule.

I’m going to make sure I prioritize spending time with him and our friends. We have the best time making dinner together whether that be with my best friend Morgan or by ourselves. We love having movie nights, game nights, going on road trips to Sixers games, and just doing the small things together like grocery shopping or getting lunch at Chick-fil-A. But the one thing I will truly miss the most after college is the amount of free time we have to spend together. When we have a 9-5, we might be able to make dinner together or do things on the weekend, but it won’t be the same as the college schedule. Now we only have to be in class for about 3 hours every day then we can do whatever we want. It just makes me want to savor all the time we have now and not take anything for granted. Especially soaking in our trip to Jamaica for spring break. This will be our first big trip together as a couple so I am excited to see the way it will strengthen our relationship.

I love Dylan so much and I am forever grateful I didn’t listen to everyone’s negative comments in high school. Going to college together was the best decision we could have made. When I think back on Bloomsburg or my college experience the first thing I will remember is how he was there for me every step of the way.

The biggest lesson I have learned through this is to trust myself. I chose to embrace my intuition when it came to deciding if Dylan and I would go to the same school together or live together in college. Seeing that these decisions actually worked out and made my college experience better proved to me that I can make good decisions and that I can trust myself. I knew going to the same school and living together was the best choice for us, but everyone I talked to had me questioning my own feelings. Learning to trust myself and stop second-guessing my intuition is the best takeaway I could have gotten from college.

— Monica Wilt, a senior communication studies major at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with an emphasis on organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of New Cumberland, who loves Taylor Swift, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the show Survivor.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Always one FaceTime away

 

Dating is a key component of college life. And, it comes in many forms. There’s typical dating. There's a study date. And my favorite, a food date. 

This is where Kelly comes in. Kelly and I have always had a special bond, especially after we got to know each other more during our sophomore year. When I first met her, I could tell she had thick skin and was someone who would do anything for her closest girlfriends. 

Chick-fil-A has always been our go-to for food dates, and now we're roommates ... two years later, it still is. These are little moments I’ve cherished since the start. These times have only brought us closer together. Kelly has taught me how to be confident, set boundaries for myself, and taught me how to have thicker skin too.

Kelly comes from Staten Island, a borough of New York City. Her heavy New York accent has always been something I love. I have never visited Kelly, although New York is one of my favorite places to visit. This summer after graduation, we plan on making a trip together to celebrate before we part ways. 

Kelly’s room is right next to mine in our apartment, which is so comforting, because I know she’s always there for me whenever I need to talk to someone. There’s been late nights where we have stayed up together and had conversations that have lasted for hours on end when either of us were feeling down.

Kelly has always given me the best advice, and I know she has truly shaped me into the woman I am today. I can say when we first met, my self-confidence was not there. I was constantly juggling something new with my self-identity while going through one of the hardest times of my life. By no means has our senior year been perfect. We’ve all had our ups and downs, but I could honestly say I'm so proud of us for who we have become today. I would call Kelly my therapist friend, because it's been proven countless times her advice has brought me nothing but self-improvement and love.

Now in our final year together, we’ve taken our Chick-fil-A dates to sushi dates at Oliran and make it a habit to do sushi Sundays together whenever we can. Kelly and I grabbing lunch together twice a month while at school is something I’ll always prioritize up until the day we part ways. We don't have to be together every second — but when we are — I know I feel safe and am with someone who will always have my best interest at heart. I’ll miss going out for food with her after we graduate but always know she’s one call or FaceTime away when I’m looking for someone to make me smile.

— Sarah O'Leary, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on interpersonal communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of Scranton and is an avid Harry Styles fan.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

A freshmen takeover of my Husky Life

In the four years I’ve been at BU I have discovered some of my favorite restaurants, coffee drinks and places to hang out. Sometimes having all these favorites make it hard for me to decide where I want to go. So, I decided to let the incoming Class of 2022 make the decisions for me!

Monday: Chick-fil-A vs. Qdoba

These two new dining choices were all students could think about as they returned to school this past fall. While neither of them take meal plans, they’re both delicious and you can use Flex, Husky Gold or a credit card to eat there. The Class of 2022 voted for me to have Chick-fil-A, which I was definitely not mad about. My go-to meal is classic nuggets with fries, and of course, Chick-fil-A sauce. However, Qdoba is also a great option if you’re in the mood for Chipotle or something Mexican. They have bowls, tacos, quesadillas, you name it! With fresh ingredients and delicious queso, it’s hard to say no.

Tuesday: Starbucks vs. Java City

It’s safe to say I’m a coffee addict, so having multiple options on campus is like music to my ears. The great thing is that while there are two Starbucks and one Java City, they’re spread out so wherever you are on campus, coffee’s not far away.

Starbucks won the poll, so I got my usual Iced Blonde Americano with vanilla (which is SO good, trust). While I get the same drink every time I go to Starbucks, I do like to switch it up and get Java City. They have amazing iced coffee and their bagels are delicious.

Wednesday: BUnow vs. The Voice

If you’re a news lover like me, Bloomsburg is a great campus to be on because there are so many ways to find out what’s happening on campus, in town and around the country.

The Voice is BU’s student newspaper that comes out every Thursday. BUnow is the online news source, also run by students. Both are full of great information, with entertaining articles and important current events.

Thursday: Cardio vs. Pilates

Our Rec Center is one of the best that I’ve seen on a college campus, with a cardio room, weight room, rock climbing wall and so much more. Every day there are classes offered like Pilates, yoga or cardio sculpt.

Friday: Filet 18 vs. West End Ale Haus

One great thing about Bloomsburg is that if you’re sick of eating campus food, there are so many great options just a five minute walk away! If you’re too tired from your Pilates class the night before, there are also busses that leave from campus and go downtown. The bus stop is located behind McCormick, and comes every 30 minutes. It has stops by the fountain, by Old School apartments and behind Papa John’s on Iron Street.

Filet and West End are just two of the great restaurants downtown, and personally, two of my favorites. West End won the poll option, so I got to have a delicious mac and cheese grilled cheese for dinner.

— Danielle Backowski, senior mass communications major #HuskyLife