My girlfriend and I have been together for a while now, but she recently told me that she wants to take a break because she just wasn't happy anymore.
She said it was for a number of reasons- that her friends are going away to uni after the summer (she is staying to do an art foundation at the local college) and she feels like she had to make the most of her time with them. Also, the fact that I'm going to uni next year, and now even though she was saying before how we could make it through, its as though she's lost all confidence in us staying together through it. Plus, her workload at college has just been piled on, and she feels like she has to work hard at that. (admittedly a short while ago I told her that I couldn't deal with it all - I had three a level and two music exams all in the beginning of january- and I know that it was just because I felt really stressed. But as soon as I realised how much I was hurting her and what an idiot I was being, I apologised as much as I could and told her that I wouldn't leave).
She still tells me she loved me, and its just that she finds it so hard to believe that I would really want to stay with her forever. When she first brought this whole thing up about a week ago (I haven't seen her since) every time I gave her a decent reason or solution to work around the problems, she would just come up with another one.
She told me that she wants to stay in contact, and are conversations were going okay. At one point we had this conversation over text:

Her- "would you want to marry me? have children? stay with me forever?"
Me- "ofcourse, i want that more than anything"
Her- "i just find that so hard to believe"
Me- "you are the most beautiful, talented, loving, thoughtful...(long list) person i know. why wouldn't i want to be with you?"
Her- "i love you"
Me-" i love you too. please can we be together?"
Her-"i dont know."

I know this is all somewhat standard for relationships, but reading up on this the odd thing I found was that in most cases girls felt like they were being smothered and wanted limited contact, but in my case she wants me to be the one to call her- and I'm always really unsure whether she genuinely wants me to or not. At one point I thought she had stopped replying to me mid conversation, but later on I found that they had never sent to her phone properly- and because of that she thought I'd stopped talking to her and changed her Facebook status to single (I know that's a kindof geeky and cheesy thing to get wound up about, but seeing it really hurt, especially because I didn't know why it had happened).

Anyway, she says we can still drive to see some of her family in wales in half term in a couple of weeks - so I have no idea whether she intends on us being together by then, because that part of her family don't know we're apart at the moment.

But to round things up, she told me that the time that she realised how much she loved me before was when I went away skiing for a week, and that she hoped by not seeing me, she would feel the same way again.

I love her more than anything, and I really do not want this to be the end for us.
Any help on this would be great thanks :)

People in love don't take "breaks." They put their heads and hearts together to work out any problems. Sometimes they have to consult a third party for help (minister, counselor), but they don't go their separate ways now and then to "give each other space."

She may want you to always make the first move so that she can be reassured she is still loved and cherished.

I think I would cut to the chase and tell her, "We're together or we're not. If you decide we're together, I don't want to hear any more about smothering or giving each other space or taking a break. Mature couples don't play those kinds of games."

As a rule, when a woman tells you she wants to take a break, believe it.

You may never know the entire reason or be able to logically put it together, and it is not easy for males to understand female reasoning because they go about it differently.

They even use completely different parts of the brain than men do to answer the same questions.

It is sad but true , you may not really understand it , but you better believe it and begin to get used the idea, and the pain it will cause.

Situations like this are horrible and confusing and painful.
The sooner you set your mind to the facts, the sooner you can begin to heal and ease the pain.

But I think we all hang on even when in our heart we know it is over.
I wish I could help by telling you it can be fixed. But I don't think it can.

Focus on helping yourself get through this. Stop contacting her, talking to her, getting updates from friends about her.
Keep your mind on other things that require all your concentration.
I played guitar to lose myself , and recommend finding a similar activity to keep your mind off her.

It will not get any easier , in fact the longer you wait the harder it will be.

Believe her, and move on.

Comment on Wondergirl's post

I agree with most of what you said, but ultimatums rarely work. The "Either we're together or not" comment will make her feel cornered and she will most likely run.

Great feeback martinizing2 Going with martinizing2 on this one.

You both have a lot on your plate from what I have read. With you both going to school, as well as friends, it makes sense to be confused about everything. She may have wanted a little freedom or may have been scared.

I do not know exactly what to say to you except "Listen to her". If she is asking for "a break", give it to her. Let her have space. Take the time to find yourself. Focus on making yourself happy.

If she loves you, she will come back.. but do not sit back and wait. It isn't fair for you to be left wondering.

Talaniman Rule-When they ask for a break, give it to them and do your own thing.