Some of the most discouraging statements I’ve heard during my college career were those that dismissed the concept of love. These comments usually came from people who were dissatisfied with their romantic lives. Love lives are often classified as romantic love, but I’d like to use this forum to change the narrative on that, especially for Hofstra University students.

Despite being a single person, I feel I have an active “love life” because of all the love I’ve been shown by the people around me, some of whom I met at Hofstra of all places. A friend I met through Hofstra said that my birthday was marked off on his calendar as an important date since 2024. This, of course, warmed my heart and made me feel very special.

I don’t believe I’m alone in these instances. In fact, I know I’m not. Hofstra senior health sciences major Ashley Blum said that fellow senior audio/radio productions and studies major Alex Hoy was the first friend she had at Hofstra who made her feel cared for on a deeper level.

“[Hoy] is one of those people who I know is always there for me and I know every time I see him, I’m going to have a good time,” Blum said. “There’s so much laughter with [Hoy] as my friend. He’s met my parents; he’s come to my house. I just love getting closer to him.”

Hoy concurred with some of the riotous belly laughter that Blum described.

After the laughter died down, Hoy added that the duo has relied on each other in some of the harder moments and shared tears in addition to all the laughs.

“[Blum] is one of those people I can call and I know will just listen to me, not try to give me advice at that moment,” Hoy noted. “Although, I know when I want advice, I can call her and get that too, but sometimes you need someone just to listen, and [Blum] does that for me.”

Hofstra junior sports media major Piper Cherry and senior journalism major Alexa D’Amato shared similar sentiments about their bond. D’Amato called their relationship “deep, emotional and powerful,” while Cherry added she saw them “being friends forever.”

What struck me most about the conversation about their friendships was that both pairs used common words to describe how they feel toward the other. Blum and Hoy reflected on the “comfort” they have from knowing they can rely on each other through good times and bad. Hoy states specifically he has Blum on “speed dial.”

D’Amato and Cherry called their friendship, “easy.”

“It’s so easy being [D’Amato’s] friend; it’s such an important relationship in my life,” Cherry said. “I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

Similarly, D’Amato said about a visibly verklempt Cherry, “I’ve had best friends before [Cherry], but having [Cherry] in my life made me realize how easy it is to love someone, how easy it is to know what she likes [and] what she dislikes. It’s very easy to love [Cherry].”

Love truly is all around us here at Hofstra and throughout the worldI’m sure those reading this have stories of their own “love lives” that this article reminded them of. Love comes in many different ways and it’s up to us to look for it, soak it up and enjoy it to the fullest.

It probably won’t look like what you had in mind, and that’s okay. Some might say that’s actually the joy of life. The people profiled in this article say it brings them “comfort” or that it’s “easy.”

My word for it is “beautiful.”

Love in all its forms is beautiful, and each of us gets the chance to step out into the world every day and discover it for ourselves. How lucky are we?