Meeting a guy you like enough to start dating in college is awesome; you have a bunch of fun stuff to do together and you live within walking distance of each other— maybe even in the same building. But, what happens when you both have to part ways for the summer? It can be a bit of a shock to say goodbye to someone you’re used to seeing every single day. It’s totally possible for you to maintain a healthy relationship until you get back to school, though! Here are some things I learned this past summer while I was 420 miles away from my boyfriend:
Try to see each other in person at least once. For some people this might not be possible for distance or financial reasons, but if you can swing it, a little meet up in the middle of the summer can feel so great! It gives both of you something to look forward to and you’ll get to experience something together that doesn’t relate to college. Also, if a trip like this falls in the middle of the summer it can make your time apart seem way shorter.
Plan something exciting to do by yourself (or with family). This could be anything or even a lot of little things. One thing you shouldn’t do is spend your summer sad that you can’t be with your SO and quality alone time is a great way to keep your mind off it. Pick up an active hobby like biking or running or just go enjoy some scenery by yourself.
Keep in good communication with your SO. This one is important, and I don’t mean FaceTime each other every minute of every day. Communicating in a long distance relationship is less about the quantity of words and more about the quality. Let each other know how you’re doing and feeling. If you miss them, let them know. If you’re feeling unsure, let them know. Long distance can bring up lots of different feelings in a relationship and it’s important to talk through them.
Trust your SO and help build their trust for you. Inevitably, you’ll be hanging out with some people your partner doesn’t know; the same goes for them. Also, no one can expect to live quarantined from the opposite sex for a whole summer. That being said, be upfront with your SO about who you hang out with if it could be a cause for tension in your relationship and expect them to have the same level of transparency.
You can totally have a good and fulfilling summer in a long distance relationship just make sure you and your SO are on the same page, then you can get extra excited about returning to school in the fall!