Long distance relationships in college are often scrutinized and judged by others. Many people believe that long-distance relationships are not worth the effort because of the common belief that college students are unavoidably promiscuous. I am here to attest to the fact that it is manageable, even though I have only done it for a month. So far I have had success with these tactics.
1. Trust
Trust is the most important part of and long-distance relationship. No matter what if you do not trust your significant other there is no reason that you should be maintaining such a commitment throughout college.
2. Support of social growth
You need to have a genuine desire for the other person to succeed and flourish socially in order to grow within your relationship. If you are a helicopter girlfriend, your boyfriend will never get out without feeling resentment towards you. If you do not want someone to have a good time within reason, there is more in question than the strength of your trust.
3. FaceTime
It is key in long distance relationships. Take it advantage of the year that we are living in and the technological advantages that we have that allow someone to have a date with their significant other in every aspect aside from them physically being there.
4. Phone calls
Phone calls are the next substitute for your person being invisibly next to you. Throughout the day, it is nice to keep in touch and stay connected, discussing the every day occurrences of our new busy lives as college students.
5. Visits
Visit each other every chance you get. If you ever come into an opportunity in which you have the means to visit your significant other without breaking the bank, by all means go for it! It is so fun to create your own new social life at your new school, and it is even better sharing it with someone you are close to. Visiting a boyfriend or a girlfriend gives you another fun place to meet new people and explore new places.
6. Care packages
Care packages are a fun way of showing the other person how much you miss them as well as how much you care about them. In a care package you can include their favorite items, as well as some fun stuff so that they can represent your school at theirs, like a t-shirt or a shot glass!
7. Photos
Photos and Snapchat memories are a great way to look back at the highlights and relive the happy.
8. Genuine communication
It is impossible to understand or know what the other person is feeling if you do not communicate. If you truly love or care about someone, there should be no reason you cannot describe to someone what you are feeling, no matter how irrational you feel it is.
9. Giving space
It is so important to give the other person space. Whenever I know my boyfriend is at a social function or anything demanding attention, I am sure to give him space. So many people get caught up in keeping 24/7 contact, which can unintentionally become suffocating.
10. Positivity
The most important of these things is maintaining a positive outlook. Without a positive view of the relationship, there is no real backbone to your long distance journey. Staying positive is difficult, but so worth it.
