Everyone always tells you how hard and unrealistic being in a long distance relationship is. After being with my boyfriend for over three years in high school, I wasn’t ready to throw it all away because we were going to be six hours from each other. I went in prepared for the hardships people warned me about. However, two months later, I realized I like the state of things in my relationship despite all the fears people tried to instill in me. Granted, long distance is not a piece of cake; there is definitely hard work to it. It was hard at first, but gradually got easier. It is also not for everyone. However, for anyone who might be considering long distance, here are my reasons why it might be right for you when everyone else is saying: “why bother?”
1. You get your own experience at college
When you are in a relationship, your lives tend to morph into one. That isn’t always a bad thing. However, when first starting college- or any new journey for that matter- it is good to make your own friends and do your own thing. College is the only four – five years where you can do what you want, when you want, with no other responsibilities. Being in an LDR means that you and your significant other basically have separate lives in which this individualism can be achieved. However, you still have someone who cares about you to come home to and who knows you better than anyone. You make your own decisions and become independent but still have a third party objective to get advice from. It is essentially the best of both worlds.
2. It is easier to balance school work
Not having a boyfriend on campus minimizes distractions. It is easy to get homework done without those fake “study” dates that usually ends with slim to none work being done. It is also easy to force yourself to do homework on long train rides to visit your significant other.
3. You don’t need to organize your social life in that giant tug of war between your friends and your boyfriend
This essentially is the struggle for any girl in a relationship. You spend one night a week with the girls and one night with your boyfriend, but somehow someone is always complaining. And if that balance gets skewed one week, you never hear the end of it. Being in an LDR keeps this problem from occurring… ever.
4. It’s all about the little things
A v-chat is the equivalent of a Friday night date. A phone call could make your day. A care package is like a birthday present. Being in an LDR puts a lot of things about a relationship in perspective. You begin to really appreciate the person you are dating.
5. You build trust and better communication
Since each of you are no longer hanging out with people that you both know, you need to have trust in that person’s actions. Also, since you can’t talk in person most of the time, you need to learn to speak with your words and tone as opposed to expressions and hand gestures. It makes conversations more intimate and brings you closer.
6. Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Couples have a honeymoon phase when they first start dating and first get married. However, when you see someone for the first time in weeks or months, it’s that feeling all over again. Every second is meaningful since you know you won’t see someone you care about for a while.
7. You never get stuck in a rut
Since you aren’t seeing each other every day or doing the same old things, nothing becomes routine. Everything feels like a new experience. Also, since the time you have together is less often, it is more special.