I started dating at 17 when I was a freshman in college. It was a long-distance situation (70 mi.) since she was back home and I was away at college.

I felt the same way - when talking with her on the phone or being with her. I would go write letters to her daily. Thought about her a lot.

I think the excitement of a new relationship for me turned into not only love but a moderate obsession. Love is addicting and some brain doctors find it even is chemical in origin. Since I was in colleg and had roommates and other things going on, I had the ability to split my time up pretty well. But I imagine that if we had been closer distance-wise, I'd have spent even more time with her. My grades dropped after meeting her - but in the end, I learned a lot from it all.