Every relationship has its challenges, but living hours from your hometown cutie can cause some major stress not only on the relationship, but also for both involved. LDRs have gotten a bad rap for keeping girls from getting the most out of their college experience, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Let’s face it, girls just wanna have fun, and I’m going to tell you how from one LDR to another.
Don’t lock yourself in your room all semester. No matter how controlling your significant other may be, there’s one thing they can’t do: dictate your schedule. I’m not telling you to trot around campus like you’re single, but I am saying to go out there and be social. Enjoying the college experience has nothing to do with hook ups and giving out your number; it’s about meeting people and building friendships you’ll keep for your entire life.
Putting your self out there, the right way. Aside from Greek life, there are endless opportunities at every college to meet people. There are countless organizations and activities that you can attend to find people you can connect with. The most important thing a Collegiette in a LDR needs is a support group, and you’re not going to find that in your random roommate (if you did, you’re one of the chosen few). If you were a high school athlete, sign up for intramural sports. Some teams even travel to play other schools; it’s a great way to find people with the same interest. If sports are not your forte, there is a countless amount of other organizations and you’ve just got to get the confidence to get involved.
Greek life is for us too. Coming into college, many who consider joining a Greek organization don’t because of the relationship factor. In these organizations you always have to find a date for something, and that can be particularly confusing if your boyfriend doesn’t attend the same university as you. The secret is to find a go-to-guy to bring that’s always just a friend. Many times guys will ask you to invite them just so they can go. It’s not an actual date unless you make it so, and making the fact that you’re committed to someone else clear is the key.
Make girls night a regular event. I know this is groundbreaking news here, but you can still go out to the bars and clubs without your boyfriend. Let’s all just take a moment to take that in… okay, now let’s begin. From my experience, it’s tough; you’re going to have to play a lot of defense. You’re going to say “no” and “I have a boyfriend” too many times to count, but you can still make it work. Go dancing with the girls, and if you have guy friends that want to come, that makes it even better. You don’t have to dance with them, but don’t limit yourself to only hanging out with girls, especially if you’re going out. If you get put in an uncomfortable position, having a guy friend there to back you up can make a huge difference. Think about how many times on television or in movies someone has pretended that their friend is their boyfriend, which can work in real life. Plus, let’s be real: dancing on our own is not only a confidence boost, but it’s more fun than dancing with a guy will ever be.
Make mealtime the most exciting part of your day. I don’t know if it’s just my friends, but our favorite past time isn’t hitting the club; it’s eating together. Hands-down, there is nothing better than eating great food and laughing until your face hurts. Think of how awful high school would have been without meal time with your friends; when would you have caught up on all the gossip? Texting? That’s lame. Eating alone can be seriously sad leading to chronic Netflix abuse (take it from me), so finding a dinner or lunch buddy a few times a week can make all the difference. You don’t have to go out anywhere exciting, just meeting on campus to eat your packed lunch does the trick.
Check back next week for tips on how to build your LDR stronger while away at school. Find me on twitter at @EmilyCBland and let me know what you want to hear about next.