What Happens When You End An 8 Year Relationship In Your 20s
Suddenly breaking up isn’t so easy
We met in school at 17 and used to stay behind in art class together. Over the course of 8 years we moved city, I completed a 4-year degree and we bought our first house. Then we realised we weren’t happy. There were no shouting matches or throwing things. The spark had simply fizzled out and we had realised as we had grown up we had grown apart. As amicable as the end was, ending a long term relationship in your 20s isn’t so easy.
The first thing is time. We have a joint mortgage and are selling the property. That’s not a quick decision or process. So for weeks, we will still be living together as neither one of us can afford to move out until the house sells. I am beyond grateful the break-up was amicable or this could have created a really unpleasant living situation.
The second is admin. Unravelling joint accounts, shared subscriptions and a mortgage is a lot of admin. We have shared everything for years — from car payments to Netflix. It’s a lot to go through and unpack. Transferring direct debits, closing down bank accounts, selling the house. It makes you long for a teenage break-up where you can just walk away.
The third is dating again. I am very aware that dating now is completely different. We…
