It's called a break-up because it's broken.

Over winter break I spent some time with my camp friends, including the AMAZING Michael Goodman. We were discussing a mutual friend who seemed to be going through something. One thing about Goody is that he is every one's sounding board. If anyone has a problem they go to him. And he offers great advice and makes you cry and laugh, and life seems better. When we discussed the recent mood changes in our mutual friend he said something that has stuck with me for a 2 weeks. He said, "They're just having a hard time breaking up with college."

I feel like I've been having a hard time breaking up with college, too. I loved college. I still love college. I liked the schedule, all the people, the busy schedule, I even LIKED going to class and learning new things.There were always events and always people to go with. And now a lot of that is gone.

Here are the 6 Stages of a Break-Up (College Edition):

Stage 1 - Time heals everything: It's normal to have low self-esteem when someone you love leaves you.

This was the first month and a half of teaching. When I had NO clue what I was doing, no idea what they talked about in any of the meetings I went to. I didn't have that same confidence I did in all my college classes or with my college friends. In most faculty meetings or even conversations, I felt like the little kid sitting at the big kids table. College had left me, no actually I left college.. and was in a whole new world.

Stage 2 - Feelings of denial: At this stage, you will probably call your ex many times to question whether the relationship is truly over, or whether there is still a chance that your relationship can be salvaged.

I hit this stage around October, when I went back to College Station for the first time. I remembered all those old feelings of being in college and acting like I didn't have any responsibilities. And then tried to pretend that I was still a college student, with only some minor adult responsibilities. This did not work out well with me.

Stage 3 - Take time off: A lot of people try to rebuild their new broken fragile ego by dating again too soon after a breakup. Stop! You'll only end up damaging yourself even more, as well as the person you are dating.

Late October/Early November- I can pretend to be a UT college student right? I know I don't go to school there, but I can dress up like them, hang out with their students and get the same feelings as being an A&M student all over again. Right? Wrong. And UT doesn't need another fake fan anyways, they have plenty of those.

So I took some time off of my job and of missing college- it was two weeks of Christmas break. Which sadly only added a whole new level of confusion to this break-up. Two weeks off was just like the beginning of Christmas break off during college. Lots of days of sleeping in, being lazy, and that feeling of not worrying about anything. This did not help the break-up stages at all.

Stage 4- Socialize: Meet a lot of new people. Use this time to improve relations with old friends, network, and make new friends. A well-balanced life will lessen the impact of a breakup, because you will still have the other aspects of your life intact, and improved.

I'm almost here... or maybe in the beginning stages. I'm trying to do new things, meet new people, see old friends and trying to get a new balance of being an adult and having a life. And not stop pretending like I'm still in college.

Stage 5- Fall in love: Eventually, as time passes, you will fall in love again. Make sure to let yourself fall in love, and take the time to really let your partner in your life. There is nothing better than a new flame to make you forget an old one.

I like my job, a lot. Sometime soon I will LOVE my job. Even more than I LOVED college.

Stage 6 - Don't set yourself up: Don't get carried away with this new found flame, remember nothing lasts forever and even this new relationship may not weather the test of time. Don't make this person the sole focus of your life, because if it doesn't workout, you'll find yourself right back at Stage 1.

I will take this wise advice and not fall too hard for teaching. I will prepare myself for the worst and hope for the best. But I have no plans of breaking up with teaching anytime soon- I am not ready for these stages. And why would I break up before we even made it to Stage 5? That seems silly.