Learning Beyond College

One month, two days and about seven hours after college graduation, I got married. At age twenty-two, this was a life-changing decision.

I had just graduated from college. I was on the edge of freedom, with a diploma in my hand, dreaming of moving to a foreign land, and yet I was about to become a wife.
I have now been married for three months and I am glad I am. However, in this short time, I have come to understand that even though I am not attending college anymore, I am not finished with learning just yet. I thought my days of schooling were over, but I thought wrong.

Not to be pessimistic, but marriage is not all bliss and romance. There are a lot of moments that are wonderful. I love being married to the love of my life, I love experiencing this new and exciting part of our relationship together but if I am going to make my marriage last than I am going to have to be realistic– marriage takes a lot of effort and hard work.
I assumed that going into this I had to pick my battles and do my best not to leave toothpaste in the sink, but what I found out is that marriage is so much more than that.
Yes, you have to be emotionally available. Yes, you have to be willing to compromise on the little things, like where the lamp goes in the living room, but what you also have to understand is that your life is about two people now, not just one.

This experience has been fun, yet tiresome as well. Learning I have a best friend around all the time to go on bike rides with, travel with or just to experience life with in general with has been great. Actually, it has been amazing. Yet also learning that I need to take into concern at all times how that person feels or how they are affected by my day-to-day actions had been an eye-opener.

For instance, I leave water bottles everywhere! I never realized how such a silly habit could affect anyone but myself but now that I share an apartment with just one other person, I have learned that tons of water-bottles laying around half full can be quite annoying. I guess you never really learn the little quirks you have until you’re married.

It has only been three months, but in these three months of marriage, I have learned so much about how to be a wife and what it means to be married at the age of twenty-two. Being a young wife was something I never envisioned for myself but now that I am one, I have learned that it is to my advantage. I have time to enjoy my marriage, to travel with my husband and to continue to pursue my life goals with my best friend by my side. Marriage may be hard work but if this isn’t bliss, I don’t know what is.