Ever since my boyfriend left for college after our first three months of being together, our relationship has been long-distance (minus winter and summer breaks). While it is rarely, if ever, ideal or convenient to be hours away from my significant other, there are some benefits of experiencing a long-distance relationship that may even make the relationship stronger in the long run.
1. It is the true test of whether you trust your significant other.
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If a couple wants to survive long-distance, trust is, of course, a big factor that must be present in the relationship. You have to trust that your significant other is doing the right thing and is not doing anything to jeopardize the relationship. You can't spend every moment of your life keeping track of him or her from miles and miles away, and if you feel that you need to do this, that may be a red flag that this isn't a person you should be with.
2. Spending time apart makes you appreciate the time you get to spend together.
While there's isn't anything wrong with spending a lot of time with your significant other, it can be easily taken for granted when he or she lives nearby. Being apart makes me cherish every little bit of time I get to spend with my boyfriend.
3. Or does it?
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This is the real test of whether the relationship is going to work out. If you find yourself feeling freed of your significant other when they are away, rather than missing him or her and looking forward to the next time you will be together, that could be a huge red flag in the relationship.
4. Being apart allows each of you to become independent, while still caring for the other while they're away.
Long distance allows each of us to pursue our own interests and develop into our own individual people, all the while caring for, and making an effort to keep in touch with, the other person. I can be proud of the person he is becoming what he is achieving, even if I'm not there in person to support him.
5. It's awesome to see how much they love where they are.
While I sometimes wish we didn't spend most of our time in different places, visiting my boyfriend and giving him the opportunity to show me how proud he is of his school and the place he gets to call home is always a great experience.
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