BellaOnline Forums Relationships Relationships HE WANTS TO GET MARRIED!!! I want to explore...

I am 18 years old and I just started college. I have had a boyfriend since my freshman year of high school. I love him very much, but I am NOT ready for the kind of commitment that he is looking for. I am TOO young. I am NOT ready. I don't want to live with anyone or marry anyone right now, but he has already expressed his eagerness to pursue both of these!!
Now, I love him with all my heart, and it's going to be very hard to walk away from him (even if we remain friends, which I would love to do), but I know that I have to.
I go to college about 2 miles away from my old high school (mum works there-- free tuition), and he isn't due to leave for school until January, so right now, things aren't so bad. When he leaves, though, there's going to be issues... I've never done well with long-term relationships, so I just know that this is about to tank. I just feel so tied down! This is exactly the thing that I am trying to avoid! I'm too YOUNG for this commitment stuff!
The question is, how do I do it? I have NEVER been good with breaking up with people (but then, how many guys can I compare this to? I've had, like, 3 boyfriends before him, and they weren't even remotely serious). Can anyone out there in internet-land help me? <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Bump
????

Just let him down easy tell him that we are young and I think it would be best if we just stay how we are. Because if you two get married and it doesnt work out then what? Just tell it like it is not that you want to explore but that its best to keep it like this. If it anit broke dont try to fix it. It took me years to figure that out.

Thanxs for your reply, but I feel like I'm hold him back somehow. He can't wait to settle down w/ someone, and I'm not sure I'm EVER going to want the babies he's always talking about having someday... I just don't want to deprive him of something that he really wants, because I know eventually he will resent me for it.
Of all the fights we've had, NONE of them have even come close to ending our relationship. He's just so safe and all that... I'm not saying I want a guy who constantly threatens to dump me, but seriously, I'm felling a little trapped here. I need air! But then there's always that long-distance thing that I'll have to deal with, so soon I'll be getting too much... I guess I'm just hard to please.
Thanx again for your reply.

Sorry it took me so long to reply my fiance gave me work yeah! No you are not hard to please just human. Good luck girl
<img src="/images/graemlins/irish.gif" alt="" />

Hehe, thank you for the luck. I think it may have helped me. The boy and I have called it quits for a bit (break-up wasn't as messy as I thought it would be). We're still good friends, though, and there is hope for a future relationship. For now, I'm flying solo. Thanks for the replies. Support from a stranger always restores my faith in humanity.