(Aylaine, please I'm begging you don't block this post. If you and I were in the same room, I would drop on my knees and beg at your feet. It can sound a bit unrespectful but this is really what I think she should hear right now. And even if she won't follow the advice, then hopefully another girl with the same problem might. I'm trying my hardest not to be mean or rude.)
O man how am I going to say this. Do you know the song "Everything you know is wrong" ? It's not a famous or really good song. But that's pretty much how I'm going to sound right now, except I'm being serious.
I've visited America for 5 weeks and met a lot of young adults there. They were all very kind and nice people and perfectly normal, if not for one very serious mistake they make. They want to be at a very serious relationship at a much too young age. I realize that this is a trend in America, but that doesn't makes it less of a mistake.
In theory you and your ex could have been an exception, but the guy asked you to drop out of college! That's not a healthy relationship to be in at your age! That's is just giving up a whole potential future for a 21 year old! You're not ready yet to commit to that kind of relationship, nobody at our age is! If you want prove, look at the divorce rates of young marriages. It's over 50% if I'm not mistaken.
Now as hard and cruel this may sound breaking up with your ex is most likely the best thing that ever happened to you, even if you don't see it. Please trust me when I say you're worth enough as a single individual to be just on yourself. You don't need a serious relationship yet.
Please just do yourself a huge favor and go back to college (community if you can't afford regular), have fun, make some good friends, have a few cute,sweet and kind boyfriends and slowly become an adult while enjoying college life. Then when you have a degree and capable to support yourself go looking for a man you want to spend the rest of your life with.
Don't rush getting a serious relationship because you're afraid you won't marry otherwise.
Please give yourself the selfrespect and time to become a strong and independent young woman. Do you seriously want to marry a guy and then become his subordinate? NO!! You want to marry a guy and be his equal. Yes some guys might be intimidated by this, but they are not worth bothering.
I want to close of with something that could come straight form a college entrance speech:
This is the time in our life where we discover who we are and who we want to be. This is the time where we broaden our horizons, where we explore the world. This is our time.