I used to miss sex after not having it for a week … well, it’s been over a year now, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. I’m not saying sex was everything, but it was definitely something. Once in a while during the week, a few times during the weekend. Yeah, it was a good life. I was also in love, which played a big part in it. Once again, it wasn’t just about the sex. For us, we just loved being together, lying in bed and watching dumb TV shows. It was a good life, but we were absorbed. Absorbed in a lifestyle of each other, togetherness and, well the obvious, sex. I’d like to say life is better now, but that isn’t true. I’d also like to say it’s just different, no better, no worse, but that doesn’t feel right either. I was happier back then, and I see it in every aspect of my life. Every morning I have to find a reason to wake up and go to school, when I used to just look forward to seeing her. I leave my job and mentally scroll through my phone book, thinking of someone I can call to keep me company on my ride home. I had someone to share my life with back then, now I just have the radio. Planning out weekends consisted of conversations like, “So, what are we doing tonight?” It wasn’t always exciting, but it was a safe bet I wouldn’t be home alone on a Saturday night. That was one of the hardest things for me: Knowing she would be out with any one of my replacements while I’d be stuck at home, watching the same dumb TV shows, but this time without the cuddling. But as far as coping with the bad times goes, I think I eventually became pretty good at it. In my case, eventually was over a year. In my own defense, the break up was unexpected, and almost getting back together more times than I can count on one hand didn’t help either. I was very lucky to have out as well as I did and I owe a lot of that to my friends and family. My parents were always comforting me, even when they didn’t know what to say. And my friends were great. We would get together almost every night and do something, even when something was nothing. And though my nights out didn’t lead to cuddling back at home like they used to, I was still having fun. In some ways the break up was a good thing for me. I learned a lot about being in a suffocating relationship, and how bad that can be. I used my extra time after the break up to further develop my interests, which has proven to be extremely useful. All the money that I used to spend on her was put to good use, on well … myself. I heard all the pick-me-up lines after the break up: “There are tons of other girls out there,” “When one door closes another door opens,” and, “It’ll be okay.” For the most part, those lines didn’t fit. I didn’t want to replace her, and I didn’t think I ever would. I’m not going to try and replace my ex-girlfriend, I don’t want to, I don’t need to. She’s a part of my history, and whether we’re friends or not, she will always be a part of who I am.