In my lifetime, I’ve dated a handful of people, and most of the relationships have been in-person. I have had two long-distance relationships, and prior to being in them, I never would have thought that I could ever be in one, let alone go into one knowing that there would be distance. Over the years, my opinions and thoughts on the matter have changed.
Prior to the first LDR I was in, I never would have considered going long-distance for a variety of reasons. I liked having my partner close, I liked hanging out with them often, I liked going on dates often, and the list goes on. I thought it was only possible (for me) to have an in-person partner. I thought that having those experiences was only possible in-person.
Achieving those things is possible. They are just done in a non-traditional sense. I can have my partner close. Just not all the time. I live in Hawai’i, where I go to school, and my partner is back in my hometown. So I can see my partner when I’m home for break and when they come out to visit. I get to have them physically close then. I can’t hang out with my partner in-person as much, but we still call and video chat often. We hang out that way. We can go on virtual dates, like doing the same activities at the same time over video call. We treasure the in-person moments more because of the distance, I think.
Is the distance difficult? Of course it is. I miss my partner. I wish I was with him every day, but I remind myself that the distance is temporary and that I will see him again sooner than it feels like.
Do I regret being in a long-distance relationship? No. I knew that going into my current relationship that we would have an LDR for a while. It helps me appreciate each moment with my partner more. It makes it more exciting to spend time together. The phrase “distance makes the heart grow fonder” really does hit home pretty hard for me in this relationship.
Are LDRs for everyone? No. People need different things out of relationships and the different needs everyone has may not be able to be met by being in an LDR. I would recommend careful consideration before jumping into one.