The pandemic has definitely taken a toll on everyone’s life, especially on romantic relationships. Many couples have been forced to go long distance with campuses closed, while other couples have opted with moving in together in order to cut costs during the pandemic. These new phases always bring new joys and new challenges. Today, I want to focus on how you can improve your love life during these changing and stressful times.
For the couple newly living together…
Quarantining together is definitely a challenge. All of a sudden, the world shuts down and you are literally locked in with your significant other. While this can be an amazing experience, it can also present a new set of challenges to couples. Especially, if this is the first time you are living with your partner.
My tips for you are to:
- Make sure you have time for yourself
- It is so important to have your own hobbies when living with your significant other. Even though it’s incredibly fun to live with your best friend, it’s crucial you dedicate time to spend with YOURSELF and making yourself happy. With COVID-19, it’s not unusual to feel “trapped” inside the house. Thus, when living with your partner, not having any hobbies can lead you to feeling “trapped” with your partner. Thus, remember to go on a solo walk or jog, out for groceries (with a mask on of course), read a book or whatever makes you release stress and feel free!
- Set up a fun date at home!
- With quarantine in place it’s really easy to fall into a dull routine. Thus, setting up fun date ideas in your own home is a great way to mix it up and have a special day with your significant other while being safe. I recommend card games, puzzles, and a cook off!
- Remember to be honest with your partner
- Now that you’re living with your significant other, it’s safe to say you are probably learning a lot about each other, so don’t feel alone if you’re suddenly running into some disagreements. Remember to be upfront and honest with each other in order to avoid confrontation.
For the long-distance couple…
Communication is key!
During these uncertain times, it’s important to show your partner that you are here for them despite of the distance.
Thanks to the Internet, there are several online date ideas that you could do with your significant other despite of the long distance.
Some ideas for you are:
1. Netflix Party[AW1] [MJ(2] [MJ(3] – Now Netflix gives you the ability to download Netflix Party! Where you can watch a tv show or movie at the same time as your partner with the ability to chat as well on the platform!
2. Zoom dates! Schedule a day and time where you and your special someone can zoom together and do a fun activity. This could be teaching your partner how to cook a new dish, playing a game, paint or just talking to each other.
3. Call schedule- In order to avoid loneliness, consider creating a call schedule where you and your partner can call each other and talk about each other’s day.
For the recently broken up…
First, please consider this *a virtual hug* from me. Breakups are never fun and they sure are never easy. Take time to heal. It’s crucial not to force yourself to start dating right away. If you’re fresh out of a relationship, the best thing you can do is start to rebuild the most important relationship in your life; the one with yourself.
My tips for you are the following:
- Let yourself experience every emotion. With a break-up, you are going to experience a tsunami of emotions. One day you may feel cheerful, while the other day you may feel completely depressed and isolated. Let yourself experience each emotion instead of bottling it all up. This is going to be key in your healing process.
- Remind yourself of what makes YOU happy. Take this time to try out new things and discover more about yourself. When you are in a relationship, you tend to develop a routine. Now that you are single, take this as an opportunity to explore and create new routines.
- Be open to what the future brings- During these uncertain times, its normal to feel anxious and fearful of the future. Just remember that this is a temporary stage in your life and better times WILL come.
And for those of you who are single and trying to have fun…
With restaurants, bars, and most public places closed it’s definitely a challenge to meet new people. Nevertheless, there are several innovative activities you can do to expand your horizons and get to know some new faces.
My recommendations for you are the following:
- Outdoor Dining- Many restaurants have opted to have outdoor seating with social distancing in place for all their dining. This a viable option because it gives you the opportunity to have a “real dinner date” feeling while socially distancing properly.
- Dating Apps/ Websites- Many dating apps such as Tinder are adding a video call option in order to create a more face-to-face date experience.
In the end, regardless of your status make sure you are taking care of yourself and living your best life. There are plenty of fish in the sea, but there’s only one authentic you!