Am I, a 22-year-old male, not giving enough attention to my 20-year-old girlfriend?
I'm not great with labels, so please don’t jump to conclusions just yet. My girlfriend is increasingly upset with me because she feels I'm not communicating with her enough. We do call 3-4 times a week, plus I send her snaps, TikToks, and messages. But here’s some context: I'm currently busy with university, and if I don’t stay on top of my work, I can quickly feel overwhelmed as exams approach. She, on the other hand, is in a college program where most of her work is completed during school hours, and once she’s done for the day, she has no additional responsibilities. Additionally, she doesn’t have many hobbies apart from scrolling on TikTok, while I’m involved in my own software development projects and play music in two different organizations, as well as enjoying some gaming. My schedule is quite full, and although I do find time for various activities, it becomes limited because we see each other frequently. I often sacrifice some of my free time dedicated to my projects just to spend time with her, which I genuinely enjoy—my hobbies take a backseat. However, our time apart (we attend different schools across the country) tends to escalate her frustration rapidly. For instance, if I’m studying and forget to message her for three hours, it becomes a huge issue. I receive a barrage of messages expressing her frustration about feeling ignored. She insists that she doesn’t want to beg for my attention and that I should naturally want to text her. She mentions that I’m studying too much, especially since the semester has just begun, and accuses me of having time for everything but her. In my view, these claims are exaggerated, and addressing them often makes the situation worse. Personally, I don’t require constant conversation to feel happy. Does that mean I don’t love her? I don’t believe so, but that's how she perceives it. I also value my peace and quiet; as an introvert, I can become stressed and anxious without time to unwind. The same goes for schoolwork—I find it hard to relax if I feel burdened with assignments. This creates a significant conflict. She is extroverted and has little schoolwork or hobbies, requiring constant attention, or she becomes upset. Do you have any advice? I find myself facing increased tension regularly, and it's starting to affect my mental health. Am I in the wrong? Should I be more dedicated?