Long-distance is tough, I’m not going to sugar coat it. Most sway away from the idea, but it isn’t uncommon to find other people on campus going through similar situations. As a freshman, I started my first year off in a long-distance relationship. Although we saw each other as much as possible, it simply didn’t work. When my current boyfriend told me he would be studying abroad this fall quarter I was scared. Being in a romantic relationship, but not physically being together is somewhat off-putting. My boyfriend left about a month and a half ago for China and will be back in Davis around the beginning of January. The time difference is around fifteen hours which means he is asleep while I am awake and vice versa, so not much texting or talking (not to complain or anything *coughs*). While the distance has gotten easier, it is overall NOT easy. I have shed plenty of tears, trust me. Of course, I can’t speak for everyone going through a long-distance relationship, as everyone’s experience is different, but I can say it is manageable if you try hard enough. It took my boyfriend and I a choppy couple of weeks to finally figure out what worked best with us. Here’s a list of a few tips of my own that I learned through this. If you are considering making a long-distance relationship work, check it out.
1. Accept the distance.
It took me a HOT minute to finally accept that I won’t see my boyfriend for almost five months. In the end, you can’t change your situation, but you can make it better for yourself and your partner. PSA: Netflix and Halo Top help.
2. Don’t stress if you don’t talk most days.
Going from talking all the time to rarely talking is weird. I felt alone at first but just remember you both still have lives, so live them. Also, don’t forget to communicate even if you don’t get a response right away. It’s important to keep each other updated!
3. Try and set up a day and time for FaceTime.
Even if the scheduled day doesn’t always work it’s nice to have a block of time reserved for each other. Just call and FaceTime as much as possible, even if it’s five minutes.
4. Make plans for the future.
Making plans several weeks or months away seems pointless, but it gives you something to look forward to when you see each other again. You could also make a bucket list of fun things to do together!
5. You can still make your sex life work.
Okay, yeah, phone sex isn’t the greatest … but it’s better than nothing! Honestly, just keep things spicy.
6. Remind each other why you are together.
This of course can be difficult over text. Be creative! My boyfriend and I send handwritten letters and small gifts to each other.
Like I said, these are my personal tips that may not be right for everyone, but they can’t hurt to try! No matter what happens, your personal happiness is the most important. Good luck!