Long distance relationships are sort of a taboo subject. Everyone knows they exist, but no one really wants to talk about it. Many people believe that long distance relationships (LDRs for short) are doomed to fail. With little face-to-face communication, it seems almost impossible to keep a relationship afloat when states, countries and oceans separate you from your significant other. However, with 14 million Americans choosing to go the distance, there must be some positives to living far away from the person you love.
With a majority of AU students living away from home, it’s pretty easy to find yourself in a LDR. Even though your boy/girlfriend is a phone call away, getting caught up in an emotional hurricane can sometimes leave you questioning if you made the right choice. There’s a pro and con list for basically everything, and now, here’s one for LDRs.
Pro: You won’t get tired of seeing your significant other.
Admit it—sometimes, you feel a bit smothered when you see your boyfriend or girlfriend 24/7. Long distance relationships give you a happy medium. When you’re away from your S.O., you’re able to have some alone time; when you’re with them, you’ll cherish the moment and won’t get tired of their presence. It’s a win-win.
Con: You sometimes go months without face-to-face contact.
The downside of living far from your beau? Going months without a simple hug or kiss. When school starts up, you’ll have to go almost four months without physically seeing each other (unless you can afford a train/plane home for a weekend).
Pro: Face Time, Skype and text messages exist.
Just a few decades ago, people in LDRs were only able to communicate through the phone or handwritten letters. Now, with just a click of a button, your partner’s face can takeover your phone/computer screen. While it doesn’t replace the feeling of seeing them in the flesh, it’s definitely a comfort when you’re really missing them.
Con: Fights tend to escalate.
Every couple fights—it’s healthy for a relationship. With a long distance relationship, you may not be fighting about what you think you’re fighting about. Fights are bound to happen over time differences or lack of texting/phone calls, and all the anger toward not seeing each other is channeled into that.
Pro: You still get butterflies.
After going months without physically being with your partner, the first time you see them will be completely magical. After a while of being together, most people lose the happy-jitters feeling of seeing their S.O. But with an LDR, it’s a constant feeling—embrace it!
Con: Missing them.
Unfortunately, you’ll see happy couples together holding hands, drinking hot cocoa and doing cute things you could only dream of doing with your partner. This will probably trigger you to miss your S.O. even more. You’ll cry, call them, wish they were there and cry some more because they can’t physically wipe your tears. It’s a sad, sad downward spiral that not even an hour-long Skype session could fix.
Pro: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
However, despite the distance, sadness and fights, your heart will go on (no pun intended). This recent Huffington Post article proves the age-old tale of absence making the heart grow fonder—so don’t worry; you have science on your side!
(Credit: http://www.statisticbrain.com/long-distance-relationship-statistics/ and http://xmakemedreamx.wordpress.com)