Take it from a veteran of long-distance relationships, Valentine’s Day is said to be the worst. People will say to you how much it must suck and just assume you wallow away in sadness without your favorite person there. But, we’re the ones who actually know that like everything else, Valentine’s Day is a perfect day because you and your person make it that way, no matter how much distance is between you. It may not be as simple as a day when you’re in the same city or even state but it can still be just as special, fun and exciting. If it’s your first time, here are some tips.
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1. Time out the delivery of your present.
Nothing beats a Valentine’s Day present. We hope it’s the jewelry we’ve been hinting for or a long handwritten letter with some chocolate, but no matter what it ends up being what makes it the best is getting to open it on the special day. Make sure you get it to the mailroom on time, so your special someone gets it right when they should. Arriving after the fact isn’t going to help make the 14th special and if it ends up being the wrong color necklace or tie then you might just get away with it if you took the time to get it there on the correct day.
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2. Picking the perfect present.
There’s no reason to dwell on the distance that’s keeping you apart. Make them or buy them a present that makes it feel like you’re right there next to them or at least can make up for it. Maybe include a voice recording or video, tickets to a show for the next time you’re together, a trinket of an inside joke you have or a picture frame of yourself they’ll see everyday on their desk. Gifts like these will tell them you wish you were there but without making it a sad moment.
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3. Skype, FaceTime, Phone call…pick your favorite.
Whatever your couple style is for keeping in touch, of course utilizing it is a key way to make you two feel close on Valentine’s Day. You can have a candlelight dinner over Skype or FaceTime and watch a movie. The options are endless as long as you have an open-mind and don’t dwell on the obvious that it all would be best if you were actually at the same table or in a movie theater together. Take advantage of the great technology we have and remember the only option used to be handwritten letters which took weeks to deliver.
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4. Clear your schedule.
Just because you’re going to have different schedules for most of the day doesn’t mean you can’t sync up a part of it. It’s important to make sure you clear a decided part of the day for each other because if you wing it then you might have unforeseen obstacles get it your way. Write your essay the night before and skip the club meeting, so both of you can spend enough time talking, Skyping or whatever you have decided to do.
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5. Don’t overthink things.
Valentine’s Day is more than okay to celebrate with the person you love. However, the scale of how perfect it must be is really hyped up by the people wanting to make a profit. Don’t buy into the Hallmark Channel or Lifetime movies too much that lecture you on how special everything must be. If you two end up just talking on the phone for twenty minutes or not even at all, remember that certainly doesn’t mean your relationship is failing. It’s just one of many days where you two can make things amazing. This day just comes with heart-shaped candies, printed fuzzy socks and ridiculous heart headbands of which all can be found at your local CVS.
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