The Cute Ugly High School Couple on the Train

For almost a year, I’ve been riding the train with a less than attractive high school couple (well the girl is in high school because she wears a uniform, but the boy? in college? high school drop out?), that clearly like each other very much. Every morning, I ride the same train and get on the same car, and so do they. And every morning, I stare at them, while silently judging them. At first, I thought, “You guys are way too young to be in a relationship, focus on school!” Then, I began to think, “Oh, you guys need to shut the fuck up. And gross, no one wants to see your PDA.” Then, I grew oddly attached to them and began to think, “Oh, you guys are kind of cute. Do your thang.”

But, let’s back up for a bit and discuss the title I gave this post. Ugly. It’s really bad of me that I have let society effectively brainwash me into labelling them. Why did I instantly have to modify their status of a “high school couple” into an “ugly high school couple?” Why did I even judge them solely on appearance, anyway? Because that’s what we do. As humans, we judge. Judging people, both negatively and positively, can be harmless. And in this case, it was, because it’s not like my judgments about them drove me to take any action (besides writing this blog). But, it did cause me to reflect a bit.

Thanks to living in modern society, where images of beautiful people are plastered everywhere, there is no doubt that there is a bias towards traditionally attractive people. And this bias fucks with our minds, you see. This bias allows attractive people to get away with more things, making any questionable behavior they display more tolerable. Why? Well, simply because they are nice to look at. And if you don’t agree, or don’t acknowledge that, you trippin. Wouldn’t all the ladies out there rather Ryan Reynolds strip for them over Seth Rogan? Well, wouldn’t anyone? Sorry to be gender specific, guys… But anyway, you get what I’m saying. So now, back to the ugly high school couple. Oops, sorry, I did it again… Back to the high school couple. Society has brainwashed me good, guys.

After staring at them every morning for months, I realized how much in puppy love they are. And it’s fucking cute. It made me think back to when I was in puppy love during high school—how that experience will always be with me and how large of an impact it has had on the person I am today. As far as I remember (and it’s been a while, like seven years, so cut me some slack), puppy love is filled with fleeting emotions, many emotions that you’ve never felt before, and making that person your absolute everything, you don’t even exist anymore without that person. You’re floating on clouds all the time, that person is all you can think about and as a high school student, what more is there to think about? School? Nah. Your future? Nah.Your family? Nah. Absolutely nothing is as important as that person is to you. And plus, your future is with that person, anyway. Duh.

As I reminisced about my past, thinking about the good times quickly came to a halt, and I remembered how the reality of growing up, growing apart, and going to college changed everything. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t devastated at the time, I’d definitely consider that experience as my worst heartbreak, and I probably would have given anything for things to work out, at the time. But, now that I’m a bit older (and hopefully, a tad bit wiser), I wouldn’t have had it happen any other way. My puppy love experience was filled with great moments of laughs, adventure, and affection, that allowed me to learn so much about myself and about caring for another person. But, there is no doubt in my mind that hanging on to it would have held me back, and him as well, it would have held both of us back from growing as individuals. This thought made me feel for this young couple. I wonder what will happen to them in the future?

I’m not saying that all high school relationships are doomed to fail, because that definitely isn’t the case. Sometimes, they work out, and they’re great. But, it takes a lot of effort from both parties and both have to want the same things. I went through so many changes, from morals and beliefs to simply just lifestyle changes, in my late teens and early 20s (still changing, too), that I’m glad I didn’t have anyone else to think about and could just focus on myself.

I wonder if this young couple have thought about what they’ll do in the next few years. I’m rooting for them, though. They are absolutely adorable. They may not be the prettiest sight for onlookers to look at, and I was one of those onlookers who was quick to make rash judgements. But who cares, when they look at each other like no one else exists. The adult in me wants to tell them to focus on themselves, at this time in their lives. But, the hopeless romantic in me hopes they prove me wrong and make it through all of the adversity that life is sure to throw their way. And did I forget to mention how jealous I actually am of this high school couple? I want someone to look at me like that!

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