The Physics of Heartbreak Chapter 1

When it came time to commit to a college, I rejected a full-ride offer from MIT and chose Harvard.

The reason? My online crush goes there.

Or so I thought.

After I locked in my deposit, my crush texted me:

"That’s crazy, a girl with a perfect 1600 SAT score just turned down an offer from our department."

1600?

What a coincidence, that’s my exact score.

I was just about to text back a consolation message when he added:

"If it were you, you would have kept our promise and come to MIT, right?"

???

MIT?!

Wait... I thought he was at Harvard?!

* * *

Junior year was a disaster. I hit a wall in AP Physics C.

My grades were stuck in the low B range, which was basically a death sentence for the Ivy League dreams I harbored.

In a fit of anxiety, I was doom-scrolling TikTok when I found an account called [PhysicsPhreak].

This guy speed-ran the entire AP Physics exam in 60 minutes and scored a perfect 5 without even checking his work.

I was shook.

I binged every video on his profile and smashed that follow button.

For the next two months, I liked every post and left a comment: “Understood. Thanks, OP! 🙏”

I loved the way PhysicsPhreak explained things. He made the most dry, complex concepts sound fascinating.

One day, I left a specific comment:

"Hey OP, can you break down Maxwell’s Equations? I’m dying here."

I didn’t expect a reply.

The next day, he posted a new video. The topic? Exactly what I asked for.

As usual, it was just a GoPro angle of his hands and his voice—calm, deep, and methodical.

He even pinned a comment:

"If anyone has questions, drop them below. I’ll reply when I see them."

Was he talking to me?

What a saint.

Under his tutelage, I finally aced that unit.