How to Accept That Your Partner is Graduating... And You're Not

Some people absolutely dread graduation and others basically race to the podium. The controversial day marks yet another generation gone and another rising class about to enter. Come May, you may be saying goodbye to your best friend, study buddy, or family member. All of those goodbyes can sting, but saying goodbye to your significant other is undoubtedly the toughest.

That's right. The time has almost come to watch your significant other accept his or her diploma... knowing you're not leaving with them.

Reality is going to set in. It's true. Things are not going to be the same. The environment, proximity, and your relationship are all about to change.

Being in a relationship in college can make life pretty easy. Your partner is never farther than 10 minutes away and you don't need a car or "plans" to see each other. These relationships come with great advantages. No parents, no real rules, and a lot of privacy. You get to share a time that is one of the most rewarding and life altering experiences in your life. College is full of ups and downs, tears and laughter and having a companion by your side each day (and most nights) can make the whole process a little less stressful.

As your partner receives their well-earned diploma, your lives will henceforth be completely different and mostly separate. You no longer share the same lifestyle. When you have class, they have work. You go out three or four nights a week and they might treat themselves to happy hour after a busy day at work. Jealously is bound to increase. Your partner will be earning money and you'll still be spending money on your education. You'll struggle to relate to each other's worlds, because they'll be entirely different.

That being said, a long distance relationship can be strenuous, difficult and at times frustrating. You can no longer call your partner at 2 a.m. to sleep over or grab a bite to eat in between classes. You really have to ask yourself, is it worth it?

Your partner is about to embark on their lives in the real world. They’re about to adult.

He or she is about to have a real job (hopefully), pay bills, fend for themselves and establish new relationships. Can you be sure they will remain faithful?... Will you?

If you can see a future with your partner, then it is definitely worth it to stay together as long as it is a mutual feeling. A serious conversation needs to address every realistic possibility of the future.

If there is real love shared between you and your partner, all of the challenges ahead should be a motivating factor to propel your relationship. If you can make through this awkward time period, your relationship will be stronger than ever before. It isn’t easy maintaining a long distance relationship when only one person is still in college, but if your relationship survives that strenuous time, you and your partner can make it through anything.