“Distance makes the heart grow fonder…I hope”
This was my first tweet after my boyfriend of 25 months left for move-in day at UW Madison.
Dating for 25 months, you may guess that trust was a strong solid in our relationship but after seeing his snapchat stories that same day of parties, beer, girls, and crazy strobe lights- my confidence in the quote I tweeted, weakened. Being the petty and emotional person I typically am, I quickly replied to my own tweet: “lol nope”.
Relationships are difficult to maintain in general and no matter how strong they were in the traditional form, long-distance relationships will bring about problems that didn’t seem to be a factor before.
I constantly doubted his feelings for me and when he would text me he had too much homework to FaceTime me 14 days in a row, all I could imagine was that he was busy playing basketball shirtless (like all the college boys do) in front of some girls on the ellipticals.
Especially being a freshman like I am, college seems like a difficult time in general. You have a work load that is too heavy for your shoulders, you’re expected to create life-long friendships, you miss your mom, and while you’re trying to figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life- you’re in love. in fact, 32.5% of all long-distance relationships are college relationships. And in the smogasbord of things to focus on, sometimes one might fall through your fingers which is why 40% of long-distance relationships end in break-ups.
The common quote “distance means so little when someone means so much” is easier said than to believe because out of phyiscal distance can grow mental distance. Both parties of the relationship must communicate to lessen that gap and if one is too busy with homework for 14 days in a row to do so, it might be time to call it quits.
So I wish all the luck to the people at UW Lax who are in long-distance relationships, may yours be the 60% that survive.