Being in a long distance relationship is tough. There are a lot of lonely moments and a lot of dinners for one. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about doing long distance, it’s that having a long distance boyfriend is often a lot more similar to being single than you might think. For better or for worse, here are some of the ways long distance relationships resemble the single life.
1. Unlimited girlfriend time
When your boyfriend isn’t around, you have a ton of time to spend with your friends. From cuddling on the couch and watching TV to late night talks with your roommate, you have just as much time with your single friends as they have with one another. You can always be there when they need you, and there’s a lot less pressure to divide your time between a significant other and your girls.
- Unlimited girls’ nights out
Similarly, you get to spend almost every weekend night out with your friends. Starting with the pregame and ending with the pizza at the end of the night, you’re present and accounted for through every shenanigan you and your friends can get yourselves into. There’s no boyfriend to call you away towards the end of the night, so you won’t miss a thing.
- Most nights, you come home alone
Unfortunately all this bonding with your friends also entails coming home alone every night. Whether they find hook ups and leave you stranded, or you just have to make that walk to your room by yourself, you end up alone at night as often (if not more often) than your single friends.
- You have to kill spiders yourself
Okay, I’ll admit that I still have my roommate handle spiders. But regardless, you don’t have that boy around to call when there’s a giant spider, or your computer is acting weird, or you need something heavy moved. This one might seem like a downside at first, but it’s actually extremely beneficial to be forced to develop the same type of independence single gals learn. The more independent you are on your own, the healthier your relationship will be when you’re together again.
- No one ever buys your dinner (or coffee, or ice cream…)
Just like the singles, every dinner you eat out comes right from your pocket. Having dates paid for is possibly one of the most underrated benefits of having a boyfriend, and can become really easy to take for granted. As soon as it’s gone, you realize how incredibly fortunate you were to have so many dinners and coffees and frozen yogurts handed to you free of charge.
- But, you always get to choose where you eat
On the bright side, you never have to compromise on the restaurant. If you’re in the mood for Thai food, you get Thai food. If you’re feeling Mexican, you get to have Mexican. No significant other to share meals with also means no compromises (and you never have to give anyone a bite).
- You get to watch whatever shows and movies you want
Here’s another important area where you no longer have to compromise! Sure, you don’t have a boyfriend to cuddle up to while you watch “your” shows together, but you can also watch unlimited Friends marathons or Sex and the City reruns, and absolutely no one will complain about it.
- No one distracts you from your homework
Sometimes a significant other around means “study breaks” that end up costing you valuable time with your textbooks. With no boyfriend to hang out with or take breaks with, you’ll be able to concentrate more on your schoolwork, with no interruptions.
- You get hit on by random strangers
With no man standing next to you, other guys will think you’re fair game. This holds especially true if you’ve been in a long distance relationship for your entire college career. No one has ever really seen you with a guy, so everyone assumes that you’re single. The plus side of this is the ego boost which a lot of girls miss while in relationships, but the downside is, of course, the guys who think that “just because there’s a goalie doesn’t mean they can’t score.”
- You have a lot of dry spells
A long distance relationship can leave you just as love-starved as your single friends when they’re between guys. Even though you’re in a relationship, you can still commiserate with them about how long it’s been. And sometimes, you’re even forced into longer periods of unwanted celibacy than they are.
But at the end of the day, you still have that love and support that nothing but a healthy, positive relationship can provide. Living the “single” life part-time just makes you appreciate your time with a significant other that much more.