Have you ever listened to a friend complain about some loser ex-boyfriend and thought you were experiencing déjà vu because you could swear you had this conversation before? It's probably because you have — it can be extremely hard to break patterns, and when people break up, it can sometimes be hard for them to make a clean split.

How can anyone expect to have a clean start when they keep looking through dirty trash, trying to find something to reuse?

I think part of this has to do with the society we now live in. We have been taught the importance of recycling; we need to reuse items to make new ones. Just because we can recycle plastic bottles or cardboard boxes doesn't mean we should recycle everything in our lives. Once a relationship is done, for some, it is better just to throw it in the trash with the rest of the garbage.

There are no benefits to recycling relationships, so why do we continue to do it?

Have you ever heard that saying, "old habits die hard?" It's easier to go back to something you are familiar with. It requires no effort or thought: it comes naturally to us and some of us just accept that. We are stuck in the same pattern with guys/girls because it's easy, even though we know it will never work. With a busy schedule, school and work, some of us just want something easy.

Another reason relationships may be recycled is because of the dreaded number question — not the one that refers to your phone number. Some girls and guys choose to recycle relationships because they are ultimately afraid of what others might think if they had a high number of sexual partners. So they go back to old flames because they can still have fun without increasing their number, so it literally doesn't count.

Unfortunately, it can also be insecurity or low self esteem. People feel like they need some sort of validation that others do still want them, so they keep going back.

Others simply feel lonely. When that happens, you might try looking for someone to keep you company for a couple days or weeks, so it might just be easier to go back to something you had before. It's a lot easier than trying to meet someone new. For instance, you are at Ceeps on a Saturday night and after scouting the bar, you realize that the only single guys left in the bar are complete douche bags and no amount of alcohol could help you forget that. At the same time you have been feeling lonely for the past couple weeks, you would rather call up an ex then pick up some random guy from the bar.

These are just some reasons people have for reusing relationships. There are multiple reasons we make up to try to justify it to our friends, or even ourselves, but we should stop trying to make excuses.

How can we expect things to change in our lives if we keep recycling our pasts? It's okay sometimes to give into weaknesses; we're only human. However if you don't want to find yourself lying on some idiot ex-boyfriend's couch two years later feeling like you are right back where you started, then try to resist. If you want things to change, you need to stop repeating the past. So this new year, be more cautious of the things you recycle; sometimes it's better just to get something brand new.