How do i handle this?

2 days ago my girlfriend of 9-10 months broke up with me, we are both 18. It wasn't something out of spite or anger, but more of a better choice for us. In the beginning i kept begging her to let us keep going and fix this but it has happened a few times and we were tired, and this to both of us has a sense of finality to it. We still love each other very much and mean a lot to each other and agreed after this phase we would be friends.

This isn't her first breakup but it's mine and i really don't know how to handle this because this girl really changed my life and improved me in so many ways.

So after she suggested and i begged her to stay, i eventually calmed down and agreed that we shouldn't be together for the sake of both of us. It is extremely difficult and what makes it worse is that we have a huge exam coming up in about 80 days ( GCE A Level examinations ) and we really can't screw it up.

Initially i was devestated and didn't know what to do, but after 2 days i've been feeling devasted in waves. I don't understand how one second i can be strong and the next my resolve just completely falters. We've been talking a little, like small talk, generally a happy mood, but the worse part is that when i break down i go to her. I know i shouldn't talk to her at all because it makes it extremely difficult for her but i just seem to talk myself into trying to win her back. And immediately after that i feel very bad and guilty about it. To make it clear we've only texted, we haven't seen each other in about 5 days already.

So what i really want to know is •How do i go on from here? •Is it ok for us to still talk/remain friends? •How do i talk myself out of trying to contact her •How do i let her go emotionally (i still constantly worry about her)

And anything else i need to know. I've read to surround myself in positive energy and just try to do things to make me happy but so many of those things remind me of her. What's more is that we didn't break up on bad terms so i don't despise her and the things she didn't want me to do actually really made me a better and more mature person. I tried getting a few friends around me but i feel bad for them because we (the girl and i) have the same group of friends. I just feel very lost without her and like 90% of my days are gone.