For a couple very long years I was in a long distance relationship. Even though we closed the distance quite some time ago, there were plenty of lessons I learned that are still valid today:
1. Communication
It goes without saying that the hardest part about a long distance relationship is communicating with your partner. There’s no physical contact and you just can’t be in the same room together doing nothing, so there is definitely an emphasis on keeping the conversation going. This makes it absolutely necessary to learn to talk about how you feel as clearly as possible so that both of you are on the same page. The best part is that this is a great life skill to have, too!
2. Patience
Being in a long-distance relationship involves a lot of waiting: it’s almost like living in a constant countdown. It’s much easier when there is a trip planned or an end date in sight, but this is not always the case. If patience is a virtue, those in long-distance relationships are patience virtuosos.
3. Personal growth
Being in a long-distance relationship taught me about dealing with frustration; missed flights, bad internet connection, the aforementioned eternal countdowns. However, because my SO is from a different country to mine, through this long-distance relationship I had the chance to open my mind to a different culture, new traditions, and a whole new language.
4. It’s okay to be alone
When your friends are hanging out with their partners, it’s easy to feel sad or even a little jealous. This is perfectly natural, but it also brings with it an amazing opportunity: to love and take care of yourself! Being an independent, full-rounded adult is at the heart of any healthy relationship–and one of the positives of a long-distance relationship is that you will have a lot of time to dedicate to building an awesome relationship with yourself.
Being in a long-distance relationship is definitely hard and requires a lot of work. However, no matter how your relationship evolves, it will be a great learning experience!