This subject is very near and dear to my heart. This fall will commemorate the start of the second year my boyfriend and I have been going to different schools. I know a lot of college students who are in long distance relationships. As a long distance relationship veteran, let me tell you that it is not easy. My boyfriend and I are an hour's drrive away, and it can still be difficult, but we manage to handle it. It’s not always easy, but take some advice from me, you can do it!
Communicate
This is the MOST important part of a long distance relationship! If something is bothering you, tell you partner! Things can get messy when you keep emotions bottled up, so always communicate, no matter how difficult it may be.
Listen
In return, be ready to listen to your partner. Listening is key to any relationship, so make sure to fully listen and focus during the time you get to talk to each other.
Talk on the phone
Texting is so impersonal. Talking on the phone helps your relationship because you’re able to communicate more clearly and truly converse. And let’s face it, long phone calls are the best!
Facetime/Skype
Any form of video chat is great too, because then you can see your partner and it’s the next best thing next to them being there with you.
Undivided attention
This may sound a little high maintenance, but giving your partner undivided attention shows that you value each other and each other’s time. It helps to find a quiet place to talk on the phone or facetime with your partner. If loud noises are in the background or people are coming in and out of the room, it makes it hard to focus on the small amount of time you get to talk to one another.
Plan a date night
This works better for couples who are not too far away, but make sure to plan a date night. My boyfriend and I like to pick Wednesdays after school to meet halfway and go to dinner. We may not be able to do it all the time, but planning some type of meet up during the week, or meeting them halfway once a month, can be really special and get you through the long distance blues.
Make equal efforts
To avoid any resentment, make sure that both partners are making an equal effort to visit each other, call, text, etc. It shouldn’t be a one-sided effort.
