How to make a (very) long-distance relationship work in college
Whether you are 1,000 miles, or just Uber ride away, distance doesn’t always make the heart grow fonder. Here are some simple tips to try and keep your romance alive when there’s 1000 miles between you and your main squeeze.
Talk to your professors, get involved in lots of clubs, stay healthy and make sure to visit the gym every once in awhile, do NOT skip class, and, oh yeah, make sure to call your boyfriend of three and a half years who now lives 1,111 miles away and is also in a different time zone, every night.
Minus the latter, this is typical advice every freshman heard during their first few days of classes. I heard it all too, and believe it or not, the hardest piece of advice to follow has not been going to the gym.
Not to be confused with being miserable, long-distance relationship are challenging. However, I like to think I have come close to mastering the art of these romantic, yet completely and utterly frustrating beings. (New challenges do arise every day, though.)
So, my system involves a whole lot of good ‘ole time management. That means maybe you sacrifice your Thirsty Thursday if it is the only time your significant other can Facetime for an hour or two.
Time management also means you will probably be a tiny bit more sleep deprived than the average college student (if that is even possible), especially when your boyfriend happens to reside in a time zone one hour behind your own.
Okay, so if we leave now, we'll get there tomorrow!
Unfortunately, time management is not the quick and simple solution to all your long-distance related dilemmas. If you thought a few hours of Facetime a week was gonna cut it, you are sadly mistaken. Next comes the couple extra dollars of your measly monthly budget to allow for Amazon care packages and the occasional Insomnia Cookie purchases you have sent to their dorm to make up for the angry text you sent last night, or in preparation for the one you will send tonight.
Finally, on top of time management and a little extra budgeting, arguably the most important thing of all is to remember all the reasons you decided to take the leap in the first place. There’s gotta be something special about your partner, or else you’d be crazy to agree to a long-distance relationship for the next four years!
Remember that you love them, even when their cell reception is absolutely terrible and they always blame it on you. Remember that they love you. Appreciate the little things, like a handwritten letter on your birthday and coming home for Thanksgiving break in just one more month, and let the little stuff go.