Every girl grows up hearing about a “Happily Ever After” from fairy tales as old as time. The princess is saved by her prince, and he vows to protect her from all evil for the rest of eternity. However, here in 2024, those stories are precisely what they are: fantasies. In this day and age, romance is arguably dead. Meet cutes have turned into swiping right, signs of affection into Instagram story likes, and romantic first dates into “You up?” texts. I, like many other teenage girls, grew up dreaming of meeting my perfect guy and getting to experience all of the treasures of teenage love. Needless to say, coming into Berkeley was a slap in the face regarding this realm.Â
Upon arriving in Berkeley, it seemed as if everyone knew exactly what they wanted to do with their lives and how they were going to get there. At first glance, I honestly assumed that the people here simply did not have a wanting for a romantic connection or were too busy. However, as I began to get to know people on a deeper level, I realized how many of my peers had built up a wall protecting their heart from rejection. Rejection is around every corner, especially at this school and this stage of life. We are experiencing so many new events and feelings for the first time, which can be extremely hard to navigate. On top of this, there is the immense looming pressure in college to be in a romantic relationship, or even a future life partner. At this point in time, where the definition of romance has become so warped, it has become increasingly more difficult to understand what we are supposed to be feeling and thinking when it comes to dating and relationships.Â
As a society, we have been taught all our lives through media and romance novels that romantic love is the only love worth searching for. However, being at Berkeley, through countless new experiences with intelligent and fascinating individuals, I have realized something way beyond that. Love is getting late night food with your best friends. Love is staying up all night studying in Main Stacks. Love is running errands at Trader Joe’s. Love is all around. We are so young, and the pressure to find someone to spend the rest of our lives with before we truly even know ourselves, is simply not realistic. Being at this school has taught me so much about others and myself, but most importantly about love, and how it is truly all around. Â