By: Rachael Jackson Campus Life Editor
Belladina Starr, senior theater BFA major, recently celebrated an engagement to boyfriend, Eric Kearns, after eight years together. Here are her thoughts on long-term relationships, marriage, and college life.
On balan
cing the relationship with school:
“The most difficult thing we deal with is finding time to hang out. I take 16-20 credits every term, work, do theater, and I’m involved with Alpha Chi Omega on campus so I keep myself really busy. Most of my spare time is devoted to homework and then weekends I try to do the college social life. I feel bad, sometimes I get so distracted by school I don’t give him the attention he deserves, but he is super patient and wonderful and understands. I wouldn’t say I have missed out on anything being in a relationship. If I wanted to date around and do that whole thing I would, but the fact is I am happy and in love and why would I ever give that up to struggle to find the same thing somewhere else.”
On being ready for marriage:
“I did not expect to be engaged in college when I was younger. If you had asked me a year ago I would have laughed. But honestly I was so ready for this to happen. Eight years is a long time, and I’m graduating soon. My life is in a place of transition right now, and I don’t see myself with anyone else so why not?”
The engagement story and plans after graduation:
“It was really sweet the way he asked me. He told me he wanted it to reflect who I was, and family and friends mean the most to me. We showed up to my uncle’s house to ‘grab something’ for our date and walked into 20 to 30 of my closest friends and family. When I turned around Eric was on his knee. We celebrated with everyone and that night we left to go to the beach where he had got a big hotel room. It was absolutely perfect. Next year Eric and I are moving to Salem with friends to save up some money and then we plan on moving up to Portland so I can pursue theater. I don’t know what I’m looking forward to most, I guess I’m just excited to see what the future holds!”
