We had something real, but now she’s(23F) moving abroad — I(23M) am unsure what to make of her decision

So I met this girl through mutual friends earlier this year, and we instantly clicked. I got her Snap that first night and found out she had just gotten out of a 3-year relationship (only 2 weeks before we met). After that, we’d usually meet up at the club, go back to her place, and hook up — but it always felt deeper than just casual. There was a real emotional connection from the beginning.

Over the following weeks, we started spending more time together outside of parties. We went on dates, I visited her place often, and eventually, we were hanging out almost every day. By the time summer came around, it felt like we were in an unofficial relationship. We even went on a vacation together, just the two of us.

Throughout the 6 months, I told her a few times that I wanted something more serious. But each time, she said she wasn’t ready for a relationship and was still scared of getting hurt like she had in the past. I did my best to be patient and show her that I was different — always there, always caring. There were moments where she would pull away for a few days or a week, and that was hard, but I stuck around because my feelings for her never changed.

Now she’s moving to Barcelona for a year to study with two friends. I hoped we could define things before she left, but she told me she still wasn’t ready and even suggested we keep minimal contact while she’s away. She said I deserve someone who can show more affection and love than she feels able to right now.

I’ve been struggling to figure out what this means for us in the long term. Has anyone else been in a situation like this — where something that felt so real gets paused or pulled away like this? What helped you make sense of it? I’d really appreciate any perspectives or advice.

TL;DR: We had a deep and consistent 6-month connection that felt like a relationship, but she says she’s not ready for something serious. Now she’s moving abroad for a year and wants minimal contact. Not sure where that leaves us or what I should expect moving forward.