Everything I Know About Love

02University Days And Finding The Soulmate

Stepping onto a university campus for the first time is akin to being handed a blank script for a play where you have no idea what your character is supposed to do. For Dolly, the arrival at Exeter University marked the beginning of true independence, a terrifying and exhilarating era where the boundaries of who she was were constantly being tested, stretched, and often broken. The structured, supervised life of the suburbs was replaced by a chaotic free-for-all, where a Tuesday night could easily spiral into a Wednesday morning of profound regrets and entirely too much cheap vodka. It was within this specific, heady environment of newfound freedom that Dolly experienced the most significant turning point of her young life: she met Florence, the woman who would become the undeniable great love of her life. The concept of a soulmate is almost exclusively reserved in our culture for romantic partners, but Dolly’s story radically redefines this notion. Meeting Florence—affectionately known as Farly—was not a slow burn; it was an immediate, cosmic collision of personalities. From the moment they connected, their friendship was characterized by an intensity that rivaled any Hollywood romance. They were two halves of an incredibly loud, wildly inappropriate whole. Their dynamic was built on a foundation of shared humor, mutual understanding, and an unspoken agreement that they would face the terrifying prospect of adulthood together. They became the anchors in each other’s lives, providing a safe harbor in a sea of bad decisions and terrible university-themed parties. University life, as Dolly recounts it, was less about academic pursuit and entirely about social survival and the relentless pursuit of a good time. The days morphed into a blur of missed lectures, questionable dietary choices, and an endless parade of themed social events that required ridiculous costumes. There is a distinct, visceral nostalgia in the way she describes the shared squalor of student housing—the perpetually sticky floors, the mountains of unwashed dishes, and the freezing bedrooms where profound, late-night conversations took place. It was in these messy, unglamorous settings that the real education happened. Dolly and Farly spent countless hours lying on cheap mattresses, dissecting their fears, their unrequited crushes, and their grandiose plans for the future. They were learning how to be adults, and they were doing it by leaning entirely on one another. However, this era was not just about laughter and wild nights; it was also the breeding ground for deep-seated insecurities that accompany the transition into womanhood. The pressure to conform to a specific type of attractiveness was immense, and the pursuit of male validation continued to be a driving, often destructive, force. Dolly frankly discusses the bizarre reality of university dating, which usually involved highly orchestrated encounters at awful nightclubs where the music was too loud to speak and the floor was coated in a layer of spilled drinks. The desperation to be chosen by a boy often led to compromising her own comfort and dignity. She would mold her personality to fit whatever she thought a particular guy wanted, laughing at things that weren't funny and pretending to be interested in things she couldn't care less about. Yet, no matter how disastrous a romantic encounter turned out to be, she always had the ultimate safety net: she could go home, crawl into Farly’s bed, and they would laugh until the pain and embarrassment dissolved. The emotional value of this period lies in the sheer resilience of their friendship. They created a micro-universe where they were the main characters, and the men who briefly entered their lives were merely supporting players or comedic relief. They developed rituals that bound them together—specific hangover meals, shared playlists, and a brutal honesty that only true intimacy can allow. When Dolly was heartbroken over a boy who barely knew her last name, it was Farly who picked up the pieces, reminding her of her worth when she had completely forgotten it. This chapter of her life solidified a profound truth that she would carry with her for years: while romantic love was unpredictable, fleeting, and often deeply painful, platonic love was steadfast, reliable, and unconditionally supportive. They were building a fortress of female solidarity that would soon be tested by the harsh realities of life beyond the university bubble, but for those few years, they were invincible, armed only with inside jokes and an unshakeable devotion to one another.

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