My parents have been together since high school. Their fairytale relationship has shaped my own view of dating. I can’t help it.
My parents got together their senior year of high school. They dated long distance throughout college and married the summer they graduated. They were both 21.
So their model relationship has me wondering, could I end up the same way? I’m a junior in high school now. Whenever I have a crush on a boy, I find myself thinking, “Could I see myself with this person the rest of my life?” Usually, the answer is no.
Also–because of my parents–I see couples at school as more than just high school flings. When I look at my coupled-up friends, sometimes I imagine them as old and married.
Mostly, I feel lucky to be the child of a couple who seem to actively love each other. Our family feels secure. But–oddly–because I take high school relationships more seriously than my friends do, I’m more hesitant to enter a relationship.
This hesitancy isn’t a bad thing. I’m cautious, because I know from example that it can work out. Which feels too permanent for me right now.