First relationships are a crazy ride - your brain is experiencing so many emotions for the first time, and those raging hormones mean things are often not smooth sailing. We asked some of the Mai whanāu to think back to their highschool heartbreaks and reflect on how they got through them, cos we all know it ain't easy.
Here's Producer Tylie from the Mai Home Run's story about her first big breakup:
"Thinking back to my high school relationship, it was mostly good. We dated from when we were 15 till when we were in first year uni, but split up mutually due to growing in different directions.
We both had completely different degrees, completely different hobbies, and recognised it was in our best interest to move on from one another.
I was fortunate to be able to experience a healthy love at a young age. We stuck by each other's side through everything and always came out the other side stronger.
The thing with relationships is that they aren't/won't always be amazing, and it wasn't.
We were both young and dumb so we didn't yet have the experiences or resources to love each other the way each one deserved.
A lot of first loves are slightly unhealthy because of this reason and you don't really realise it in the moment.
You can only love someone as deeply as you love yourself, and I think that's something I learnt after the relationship. I definitely relied on him for my happiness so when we ended the relationship, we found it hard not to spend our time together because we were too attached.
Plus just to add, I was a MESS! For a long time as well. I didn't know how to go about my everyday life and got to a pretty low place.
What I ended up discovering, though, was that the more inner work you do, the better you will be as a person and in a relationship - plus, it's nice to be able to fall back on yourself.
Filling your own cup up with positive experiences and feelings means that's what spills out in tough times.
I definitely spent the next few years trying to work on myself and although there will always be more to learn, I'm pretty happy that I now can rely on myself and find comfort in doing things alone.
I'm now in a new relationship and will constantly be learning new ways of healthy communication and how to be a better partner, but I feel more equipped to be in one knowing that whatever happens, I will always have myself."
