9 Men Share the Major Life Changes They Made to Get Over a Breakup

When I was in college, I went through a terrible breakup toward the end of my sophomore year. In an effort to push through the pain, I took an internship in a town far from home, where I knew absolutely no one. I spent the summer living in a single dorm, writing for a newspaper (without pay), reading at the beach, binge-watching TV shows, and rationing the booze my older brother had bought me before I left (I was still underage).

It was probably one of the best things I could have done. I learned to be alone again, and to really dedicate myself to my work—two things that have, without a doubt, had a huge impact on where I’m at now in my life (which is to say, mostly happy).

I know I’m not the only guy who has gone through this type of emotional growth-spurt, so I reached out to some pals and asked them to tell me the most drastic things they’ve done to get back on their feet after the end of a relationship. Here are their stories.