Whether you're dealing with only 45 minutes or 700 miles, long distance relationships are not easy. They're worth it in the end, but difficult nonetheless. No matter the situation, there are a number of struggles that everyone with a significant other in another location can relate to.
1. You're constantly reminded of them.
It may seem like you're borderline obsessed with your significant other, but in reality, you just miss them so much that you can't help but think about them whenever you see certain things. Romantic comedies on Netflix mean that you end up replacing the lead actors with yourself and your partner. You can't turn on the radio without hearing something that brings up some sort of memory, either a lyric to a song and especially if your song happens to play. Books, too, lead you to thoughts of your significant other, particularly if you're a fan of romance novels. Other people may not be able to relate to the sheer amount of things that remind you of them, but we know it's just because we care.
2. Texting, FaceTime and Snapchat become your best friends.
Depending on the miles between you, seeing one another regularly may not always be an option. Communication is the most important thing in any relationship, but there is a much greater need in a long distance relationship; this is where smartphones and technology can really be life-savers. Apps like Snapchat allow you to see each other's faces (and send ridiculous selfies with all of the filters!) which can really make a difference as you can't constantly call each other. Texting also helps fill this communication gap. It's definitely not preferable to talking over the phone or face-to-face, but it allows you to keep in touch throughout the day when otherwise communication would be impossible. Skype dates become a regular thing, and they can be a lot of fun too! Everyone has spent most the night just talking about anything and everything. Even though it doesn't hold a candle to being next to each other in person, it makes the time apart much more bearable.
3. You literally count the days until your next visit.
If you're lucky and only a few hours' worth of travel separates you and your significant other, waiting between visits tends to only be a few weeks. If it takes a plane to bring you to your partner, odds are you have to wait significantly longer to see each other. Either way, though, you find yourself keeping a countdown until you can be reunited. We've all marked our calendars with hearts and smiley faces on the days when we know we'll be together again, and as soon as one of you leaves to return back to school or home or wherever you are, that countdown resets immediately.
4. Having limited time when you do get to see each other.
One of the hardest things about long distance relationships is the fact that when you do get to visit your significant other, it feels as if you are on borrowed time before you have to leave again. Sleep often gets compromised because you want to spend as much time with them as possible before the inevitable happens. While you wouldn't trade these stolen hours for the world, it does make you long for a day when you can spend longer than a weekend together.
5. The elimination of spontaneity.
Surprise dates are virtually impossible when it comes to long distance relationships. Of course, there's always the option of surprise visits, but oftentimes that can end up with the person being surprised having a lot planned because they were not expecting a visit. Everything has to be planned out when it comes to visiting, especially if there are planes involved. It doesn't make the time you spend together any less special, though; it's just another roadblock you must learn to hurdle!
While distance can make a relationship more difficult to uphold, in the end, it is totally worth it when you finally get to spend time with your significant other. Besides, it's like they say: distance really does make the heart grow fonder.
