If you think that LDRs are hard, try being in a committed, long distance friendship. This is someone who has been through hell and back with you, but for whatever reason, you and your friend(s) end up apart from each other. As time passes and the distance continue to worsen, there’s only so much you can do to maintain this friendship. Here are just a few things that only long distance best friends will understand:
1. Time Zones
How hard is it to keep track of each other’s time zones? If you have one friend abroad, it’s hard, but when you have two, three – multiple, it’s an every day struggle on your mental capacity. Scheduling a proper Skype date needs to be done days or even weeks in advance.
“Does noon work for you?”
“Oh wait, she’s sleeping.”
“Are you four hours ahead or three?”
And we can’t forget about work and school schedules. Working around each other’s schedules in different time zones is likely to be the hardest part about being in a long distance friendship.
2. Technical Problems
Facetiming or Skype calls can most often times lead to disaster. This can come in the form of bad Wi-Fi, old computers or just annoying connection. But whatever the case is, it hinders the flow of a smooth conversation with your LDBF and likes to interrupt during the most important topic of discussions.
3. The World Clock Settings on your phone is almost always full
If you have ever had a long distance friend(s), you will understand what I mean exactly by your clock setting being nearly “full”. iPhone users only get six spots on our world clock settings. Only six. That’s not nearly enough. If Vancouver and Hong Kong counts as two, that only really leaves four other spots on our world clock setting. Not to mention that this is a page on your phone that you frequent often because your ability to memorize time differences just isn’t cutting it.
4. The Art of Condensing
You have now become a pro at telling stories, particularly the skill of condensing the past 2-3 weeks of your life into a two-hour (or more) Skype date. You don’t waste any time – getting to the good stuff is now your forte.
5. The Overused Phase
The words “I-miss-you,” “I-miss-you-guyssss” or “Wish-you-were-here” are a few phrases that are completely overused to the point that it almost feels unreal the moment it’s said. But in reality, there is nothing more honest and genuine than those words. We mean it every time.
6. Cultural Differences
If your long distance friend is someone who lives on the other side of the world from a completely different culture, you will understand that communicating is a learning process. Every day that you’ve spent time with them, whether in person or online is another day that you’re expanding your cross-cultural communication! You begin to learn about holidays that are spent in your long distance friend’s country, and other little traditions that you never knew about before.
7. Names don’t make sense anymore
Even if you’re suffering from distance and time difference, you guys still keep each other up to date on the latest gossip. But what happens when you no longer know whose whom? It doesn’t matter. You’ve mastered the art of gossiping without putting a face to a name. John? Yeah, the one who asked you out for coffee last week, right? Note: we’ll probably end up calling you “that coffee guy” because we are likely never going to meet you anyway.
8. Travel Plans
Discussing when and where you’re going to meet next is always one of the highlights of conversation amongst long distance friendships. Where are we meeting next? Whose meeting who and where? These are all discussions that keep you guys excited for the future. The possiblities are endless!
Being in a long distance friendship is tough work, but in the end, it really is all worth it. Whether it was during a short trip, studying abroad, or even keeping in touch with your best friends back home, you and your long distance friends met for a reason and effort is truly key on all ends to maintain this wonderful connection that you guys have created.
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