This girl experience is so much different already than my first one (after a week and a half now). I think a big part of it was my first one a year ago was my first ever relationship, and it immediately just turned into ignoring any and all issues because I was so excited about it.
There are certain things that I am already (I don't want to say worried) cautious about, but other things that I am much more confident about.
First off, she has already revealed to me that she has struggled with depression in her past. I honestly don't know how to even go about handling this. My "strategy" right away has just been to continue keeping her happy, but I feel like if she goes downhill (like she has in the past) too early in our relationship, I honestly don't know if I will be able to deal with it, as I won't have enough feelings for her yet.
Secondly, she recently dropped out of her classes, and isn't sure yet if she is going to finish up next semester or not. A part of me says this is something to be worried about, but the other part of me says that thought is completely idiotic. I went to school for 2 1/2 years in a Statistics program that it took 2 1/2 years to find out I hated. I in no way liked what I was doing, and I switched to Accounting, which I absolutely and totally love (I am now almost done, but will be 22 before I am done, and have almost a year and a half of wasted "extra" credits). Why should I expect my 19 year old girlfriend to somehow be on the perfect path to knowing what she wants to do. She is 19. Personally, I think she would be best doing something related to art (she really enjoys it) or nursing (which she has mentioned, since she also enjoys doing things like this).
Third (which is more of just an annoyance), she isn't a morning person, at all. Don't get me wrong, I never used to be, and quite frankly, it took until this summer that I finally just wake up at a reasonable time now (If I sleep in, it is until about 8 or MAYBE 9), but she will sleep all damned morning if she can. I think a big part of this just has to do with her general work schedule. When she always closes at her job, she wants to do shit when she gets home, so she winds up staying awake until 2 or 3 in the morning, and sleeps late because of that.
But then there are things I am more confident about than I could possibly imagine. To find a 19 year old girl who (even though she isn't finished) has no student loans, and at least an adequate amount of savings is a tough thing to do, and I've done it. Or a girl who is a bargain shopper like myself and actually enjoys the idea of saving money.
It is also hard for me due to having "odd" religious views. While I am confirmed catholic, I really have no interest whatsoever in not only the catholic church, but all churches. I can't stand behind the decisions that have been made, and think many of them are very hypocritical. That being the case, I do still have beliefs, just outside of the church. Go figure, she is the exact same way.
With my ex, I don't think we ever had a serious conversation in the 3 months that we dated. Ever. Any time a talk would come close to being serious, she would just get all pissy and change subjects. I've been hanging out with this girl for a week and a half now, and we already sat down at dinner last night and just talked about stuff for an hour and a half. We aren't begging for info or anything of the sort, we are just revealing to each other who we are beyond simple things like: What's your favorite color?
Most importantly, with my ex, we had sex for the first time after 2 weeks. I always imagined myself waiting at least several months, but she asked my friend to get me really drunk, and while drunk, I did things I now wish I wouldn't have. This brings me to the current girl. Don't get me wrong, we've done pretty much everything you can do outside of actual sex itself (I really don't, and never have had any issue with other stuff), but have already discussed waiting with sex itself (we haven't discussed a specific amount of time, but I think a year is a fair amount of time). Not only am I happy that we are waiting just to wait, but I am happy that we are not rushing into things considering she has only been done with her ex (who she dated for 3 years) for about a month now. I see no reason to rush into things when her past relationship ended such a little time ago (granted I do worry some that there wasn't a lot of time for her to get over everything, despite her being the one to break up).
All this being the case, I like this girl quite a bit. I'm actually glad that I can look past just everything being perfect with this girl, and have little things that can bother me a little, rather than this stuff just not appearing to my eyes until it is too late.
The suckiest part is that in less than a month, I will be moving, and it will be about a hour and 45 minute drive to get to her place, not to mention I will be working probably 55 hours a week. In other words, we are going to go from seeing each other every single day and hanging out to seeing each other Saturday nights into Sunday. This isn't necessarily the worst thing in the world though. It will give both of us time to be by ourselves and not just consume each others lives.
Money can't buy happiness. Just video games, which make me happy.
