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How to Get Over Your Ex Without Making a Fool of Yourself

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter.

Long-term relationship or a short fling, relationships are not easy. Breakups are even more difficult. As for the people surrounding me, including myself, spring is clearly not the season for love.
 
Me being recently single (and ready to mingle!), I have my breakup story to offer some insight and give advice on dealing with heartbreak. It might be egotistical for me to talk about myself, but the goal here is to show those broken hearted that even through the worst situations you can achieve true happiness and freedom.

About two weeks ago, my boyfriend of almost a year broke up with me at the midnight premiere of The Hunger Games. I know I look like the biggest nerd for dragging him to it, but he volunteered to go to the movie. He’s the one that plays World of Warcraft and League of Legends. I’m not the nerd here.
 
It’s fair to say that I did not see the breakup coming. In the weeks leading up to the breakup we got along perfectly. He continued to text me saying, “Miss you babe,” and “Can’t wait to see you babe,” and finally, “You’re the best!”
 
Clearly, I’m not the best for him. Either that, or he just can’t handle my awesomeness. We’ll go with the latter.
 
So we arrive at the movie a couple hours in advance (because I’m a nerd and my friends are nerds who want good seats). After sitting in the theater for a while, he took me to his car. At the time, I, admittedly, thought was for some car sex. So I took that time to wink at the people passing me, acting like a complete fool, while in my head I was thinking of how to tell him I was too tired to do what he wanted. Maybe say, “Babe, I’m off the pill,” or pull an “I’m on my period” maneuver.
 
Once we got in the car he started crying.

He told me how we were meant to be, but that I’m one of his best friends and he doesn’t want to lose me. After about half an hour of discussing this, I felt really good about our newfound friendship. Somehow I felt closer to him than ever before. We continued to watch the movie together and he drove me home and hugged me goodbye saying, “Thank you for being so amazing.”
 
The next morning, I woke up to find on Facebook that he was in a relationship with another girl who lives four hours away – a girl who he spent the weekend before with. Considering that I trusted him and he’d be with a group of friends anyway, I did not think much of it when he said he was going out of town to see friends. That is, until I found out he cheated on me.
 
I felt both confused and heartbroken. All I can say is, you know you’ve hit your low point when you’re sobbing in the McDonald’s lobby. I remember people looking at me like I was an emotional wreck. I wasn’t, I just had nowhere else to cry. And if crying over the end of a year long relationship makes you an emotional wreck, then okay, send me to the mental ward, stat.

Being in my fragile condition, I made the completely wise decision to send him mean text messages. I called him a liar and told him I lost all respect for him.
 
True accusations on my part or just pent up immature anger, I wish I didn’t say those things to him. Which is why I advise getting rid of all contact with your ex. Delete him from your Facebook. Delete his number. You don’t need any contact with him once it’s all said and done. If you still have strong negative feelings towards him, you’re only going to end up saying things you want to take back.
 
After a few days, I did want to take those words back. Not necessarily because I realized I was wrong. I took time to recognize that friendship we did have. I look at other friends dealing with breakups with people they loved or cared about, and there’s no way they’ll ever be friends.
 
These people speak so poorly of the ones they’re most intimate with, which baffles me. If you hate someone so much, or if that person hurts you so badly, then why ever date them? I could never speak poorly of one of my true best friends.
 
I can honestly say that each day I wake up happy. When I get in the car, I bust out in song. When I’m with my friends I wear the widest smile. Sometimes, I’m even surprised by my response to my situation. I see friends getting wasted, not eating, and hooking up with any guy who’ll take them.
 
Not me. I’ve made this mistake before. But you shouldn’t jump into bed with someone just as a response to the way your boyfriend hurt you. Take pride in who you are. Take up a hobby, go to the gym, hang out with your friends. Don’t drink to forget a boy, drink because you’re having a great time with friends.
 
I’m not saying that I’m perfect or doing things 100 percent right. But I’m staying true to who I am and not obsessing over my relationship status. I think if people follow that advice, it will lead them to happiness. And later on down the road, you can be best friends with your ex again.
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