Before coronavirus came into play and turned our lives upside down, I was living a happy existence.
I’ve been dating my boyfriend, Mason, for almost a year, so it’s safe to say I know him pretty well. While we don’t share an apartment, we do spend at least five nights a week together at one of our places, cooking, drinking red wine, hanging out with our friends and of course, having the occasional fight.
Enter: coronavirus. Initially, I completely freaked out, asking Mason to stay at my apartment for fear I’d be stuck in L.A. all by myself. Once news of an official lockdown came into play, we talked it over and decided to quarantine together at his apartment in Newport Beach.
Turns out it was the best decision we could’ve made. There’s just no way either one of us would be able to handle a “long-distance” relationship. I’m so grateful to be quarantined with Mason. He’s willing to be lazy with me and lay in bed all day, but he also has the power to get my butt moving and work out. We’ve found the perfect balance for our little quarantine life, and I love it.
This whole experience has given me a preview of what life would look like living together full-time. Every day, he asks if I’m sick of him yet, and I answer with a resounding no. I think that’s a sign you’ve found your forever person… when you don’t mind being around them all the time (like, literally all the time).
But aside from knowing for sure that Mason is the love of my life, I’ve gotten to look at our existence together from the view of a microscope. Here are four things I’ve learned about my relationship from quarantining with my boyfriend.
I Miss Him in Those Few Hours ‘Apart’ While Working
Even though we’re together every waking second, I find myself missing Mason when we spend any time apart. Obviously in quarantine we don’t really get to be alone. So, when we’re working, we give each other space, which is sort of like our time apart.
Speaking of work, he takes his very seriously. Mason is typically super laidback, if not on the more quiet side (we’re very similar in that way). However, during quarantine, I’ve learned that he’s an extremely loud talker when it comes to work. On every single Zoom call he’s taken, I’m convinced the walls are shaking because of the sound waves he makes. Since he’s rather noisy on his Zoom calls, I’ve been able to hear every word he says on them. He works in Facebook advertising, and the conversations I’ve heard him have with his coworkers sound like complete gibberish to me, leading me to believe he’s the smartest man I’ve ever met.
I Pick Up on His Moods Immediately
Everyone has different ways of revealing their vibe is off, so whether your significant other didn’t say good morning or make your A.M. coffee, there are clear indications of their mood change, no matter how subtle they may be. I’m realizing how easy it is to learn when he’s excited, happy, sad, mad and everything in between.
You also learn to navigate through behaviors that are just them versus actions that are personal to you. Before quarantine, there were times I’d try to have conversations with Mason, and I was under the impression he was ignoring me because he wasn’t interested in what I had to say. Now, however, I’m realizing it’s because he can’t multitask. If he’s driving, playing around on his phone, looking at the computer, watching TV—I won’t get a response out of him.
I’ve also learned he gets cranky if he doesn’t work out. I sort of already knew this about him, but not to the full extent. He usually goes to a boxing gym a few days a week, but since those are now closed, he’s been way crankier than usual. He’s been relying on weights and my Peloton (which we brought to Orange County from L.A.), and it’s definitely cooled him down.
I Love Doing Nothing With Him
Sometimes, all I want to do is lay in bed all day, watch movies and eat junk food. And you know what’s better than doing that? Doing it with the person you love. Even in complete silence, Mason and I are able to enjoy each other’s company, and it doesn’t get old even doing it together all this consecutive time.
I Love Doing Everything With Him
Even amid quarantine, we still find ways to be adventurous and try new things. Whether we eat a new dish, watch a scary movie or something else, I’m happy as long as I have him by my side. Even though we’re obviously limited with resources, there are still many firsts to be experienced and we’re savoring every minute together.
In fact, spending so much time together has made his quirks fall to the wayside. He sets no less than 50 alarms in 15-minute increments. I only noticed this during quarantine. I mean, it is a little odd, but I’ve learned how to laugh it off—kind of like how he gets dressed up for work, like super serious, amid quarantine. He wears jeans sometimes! Meanwhile, I’m perfectly cozy in my sweats, and don’t understand going all out every single day from home when you can spend more time sleeping. But I guess I admire he’s drive to look his best at all times. Mason, if you’re reading this, I love you, and I know I’m way weirder than you.
