Graduation is a stressful time for seniors. Between prom, the actual graduation ceremony, A.P. Exams, seniors have very little time to worry about anything else. However, many are preoccupied by one question in particular: the fate of their relationships in college. Keeping a relationship alive amid the wild bustle of college is hard enough, but it becomes almost impossible when the members of a couple are going to colleges eight hours apart. In 2011, the Dart chronicled the relationships of a senior couple heading to different colleges. Megan Porterfield, then an STA senior, was dating Paul Massali, who went to Rockhurst. Despite the fact that Paul planned to go to University of Kansas and Megan planned to go to Southern Methodist University in Texas, they decided to try to keep their relationship alive. What has happened in the three years since?

Megan and Paul

Paul was worried about trying to continue his relationship with Megan over a long distance as graduation crept closer and closer for both of them. However, he knew he “couldn’t lose [Megan].” Their friends warned the couple not to stay together, but Megan knew that she wouldn’t be able to “talk to him [Paul] without having these feelings.”

Once the couple were actually at their separate colleges, things became even harder. According to Megan, the two fought “a lot.” Megan learned that “its hard to maintain a connection with someone” through text and phone calls only. On top of this, Paul no longer wanted to even talk on the phone, because, according to Megan, it made him “sad”. However, there were happy times. Over breaks from school, Megan and Paul visited each other, and the weekend after Megan’s birthday Paul flew down to Texas to visit Megan.

Having a stressful, long-distance relationship took its toll on Megan. In addition, her separation from her family was causing her problems, and the tuition to Southern Methodist University was causing money problems. After a year, she decided to transfer to KU. In addition to being close to her family and saving money, she would be close to Paul.

Today, the couple is still, happily, a couple. Megan is glad that they spent a year apart.

“We needed space,” Megan said.

A year apart gave them that. Over the year, both of them “changed and grew up,” as Megan said. They even “learned to stay together though the changes.” To STA seniors facing hard relationship decisions now, Megan suggests keeping an open mind.

“Don’t break it off just because you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Megan suggests.