Struggling With Boundaries in a Relationship (me: 19/F, partner: 21/F)
Hi, I’m '19/F' and my partner is '21/F'. We’ve been together for about a year and a half.
At the start of the relationship, things were generally fine, but over time I’ve started noticing changes in how my social life is being handled. I’ve been discouraged from spending time with my childhood friends, even though they’ve been in my life long before the relationship. I’ve also been discouraged from joining university organizations and attending college events or get-togethers.
Because of this, my day-to-day life feels more limited, especially in terms of social connections and school involvement. We’ve already had conversations about it, but I still struggle to express my needs in a way that leads to real change or compromise.
What are some practical ways to communicate boundaries in a relationship when your partner tends to dismiss concerns, and how can someone rebuild a healthy balance between personal independence and being in a committed relationship?