I used to say I would never be in a long-distance relationship (LDR). It seemed wildly unappealing -– I’d always miss my partner, it requires a ton of trust, and we would only be together in person a fraction of the time. That was until I went on exchange and met my boyfriend, which transformed my understanding of LDRs. I’m not saying I would choose to do long distance, but it’s not the evil I’d made it out to be, either.
My LDR is a slightly extreme situation of different continents and time zones. It took some adjustment to deal with the frustrations of poor Wi-Fi connections and switching all of our dates to Teleparties and video calls. That being said, I’ve started to get used to our now-virtual routine, and it’s become one of the best parts of my day. Even virtual dates can be exciting with a bit of creativity –- we’ve cooked the same meal together, played an online version of We’re Not Really Strangers, and created 2023 bingo cards.
Long distance has been a challenging, but worthy, lesson in love. To make up for the lack of proximity and in-person contact, we’ve pushed ourselves to be as present with each other as possible. Distance has also been the ultimate test of trust -– my partner and I live essentially separate lives and have to be patient and believe in each other. While long distance is tough, it’s been a great way to break my bad dating habits and remind myself to be mindful in our relationship.
Distance has also helped me find a healthier balance between my relationship and the rest of my life. I need to have a fulfilling life outside of my partner, and I’ve been able to spend time on other parts of my life since we’ve been apart. I have extra hours for hobbies and friends and I can prioritize alone time. The distance has allowed me to remember all of the wonders in my life outside of who I am in a relationship while enabling me to be a more well-rounded partner.
Long distance has been a personal test, but I appreciate what I’ve learned from this challenge so far. While I’ve begun to appreciate bits of my LDR, the greatest part will be getting to be in person together again. No relationship is easy, but this one is absolutely worth it.