C's Get Degrees

Dear Lorelei,

We are both young.

We really are so very young.

This is not a mid-life crisis, stuck in a 9 to 5 job, watching my hairline slowly recede, and reassuring myself that "I am still young".

No.

We are most legitimately young. I am 19 and you are 19. You're a couple months older than me, eight to nine months or so.

I suppose by now I should already now how much older you are than me. But then again, do you have my birthday memorized?

…

Probably. You’re usually much better at these things than I am. I’m sure I’ll pick it up as time goes on. We haven’t really been together for that long. In the grand scheme of things.

We met in class of our freshmen year. It was my first class. You sat across from me and when I met you later, I remembered you. You didn’t remember who I was. But you do remember that I had on a really nice pink shirt in class.

I still wear it from time to time.

As of now, we have been dating for 7 months. 7 months and 24 days to be exact. 236 days. As of today, I am 19 years old. 19 years and 5 months and 11 days to be exact. That's 7102 days. 236 days out of my 7102 days, I have been yours and you have been mine.

That's 3.3323% of my entire life.

We really haven't spent that much time together.

I've only been with you for 236 days, but I wish I could spend more of my life with you. But all those missed years - how will we ever catch up?

3.3323% really isn't that much.

Imagine getting that on our final exams.

But,

Tomorrow, I will be 7103 days old. Tomorrow, we will have been together for 237 days.

That's 3.3366% of my life.

The day after that you will be 3.3502% of my life.

Therefore,

% of life together ={(236+x)/(7102+x)}*100

The US average male life expectancy is 79 years. Or 28835 days. So if I live 28835 days, as of today, I only have 21733 days left to live.

x=21733 days

If I spend every single day of the rest of my life with you,

{(236+21733)/(7102+21733)}*100

=76.1887%

On my deathbed, I will have spent 76% of my life by your side. 76% of my life spent forcing double entendres to cheer you up. 76% of my life listening to you rant about your favorite authors and your favorite characters. 76% of my life watching you fall asleep five feet away from me, too tired to stay up to watch me studying in the late hours of the night.

Imagine getting a 76% on our final exam...

It's not an A, and it won't get us a full ride scholarship to grad school.

But C's get degrees. And if I could spend 76% of my life with you, a "mere" C?

The happiest C I'd ever get.

We're both rising sophomores and we both have internships this summer. My two feet are firmly planted on US soil, and you are off working in Rome.

Four. Three. Two. One.

That's how far away you are.

4321 miles away.

4321 miles away and 6 hours apart.

We are both young.

We have many days to come.

But I cherish every moment with you.

So I sit here. 2 AM tik-takking away at my keyboard, waiting for the sun to rise in Rome.

And when you yawn and sleepily text me good morning,

I'll yawn and text you goodnight.

With love,

McWinston