As the leaves turn tanned orange and apples become fritters, reality sets in: Summer is over, and unfortunately that means your once vibrant love life might be too.

If you just so happened to catch the love bug this summer from a fellow classmate and are starting to regain some of your strength, you might be asking yourself, what now? What do you do when you pass in the dining hall? Or when you end up in class together? What if, heaven forbid, you live in the same residence hall?

It’s close to impossible to avoid seeing your ex on such a small campus like Le Moyne’s. It’s almost like listening to a Justin Bieber song, you can only fight it for so long before you take a listen. But here’s the thing, stay calm. Just act cool and don’t let your anxiety or sadness show. Act as though seeing them has absolutely no impact on you. And if you really want to act like a mature adult, say hi.

Make your interactions short. “How are you?,” “How are classes?” and “See you later” are the best phrases to use. There’s really no need for extended conversations—unless you want to have them, of course. But if you’re still a down from how things ended, then keeping your distance when possible is probably in your best interest.  

If you end up in class together, don’t even consider dropping it. And if you entertain that thought for even a millisecond, just remember the brilliant words of our First Lady Michelle Obama: “There is no boy at this age that is cute enough or interesting enough to stop you from getting your education. If I had worried about who liked me and who thought I was cute when I was your age, I wouldn’t be married to the president of the United States.”

Amen.

Most importantly, never turn something down because you’re afraid you’ll run into that person. If you see them, you see them. It would be ridiculous to let someone dictate your enjoyment like that. live your life and let go of the Summer of bliss. Your relationship ended for a reason and now it’s time to find a more stable romance, or better yet, learn to become comfortable being single and actually liking it. Love tends to happen when you’re unconcerned and happy.