Love is hard in many ways, but love is worth it. In fact, some of us bare hours and miles of distance for the ones we love, and that, my friend, is not easy by any means. There are so many points someone only in a long distance will understand about love, and from the four month time period I’ve been living away from my bae, I’ve learned and experienced quite a few of them.
1. FaceTime is the move.
FaceTime is the closest thing we have to seeing the ones we love. However, at the same time, seeing your SO’s face kind of makes it harder to hang up and leave them all over again- at least that’s how I feel. Don’t get me wrong, though, FaceTime is the best outlet to see the face you miss so much, so by all means, hit that line and stay on it for at least two hours. No shame.
2. Fights are scary.
First off, I’m a very delicate person, meaning that if someone yells at me in any way, there is a 108% chance I will have tears streaming down my face. While I hate when people see me cry, I would much rather have the argument in person than over text. It’s not like we fight all the time either- I’m just saying it’s even worse to not be with your SO during the times an argument breaks out. Since it’s not possible to be face-to-face in a long-distance relationship, it can get scary, even talking over the phone, to feel uncertain about how your SO feels because you can’t really take into account their body language, and they can’t see yours either. This could completely change the way a fight goes, or maybe it wouldn’t, but either way, you’ll never know through text or from a phone call.
3. Hard times make the good times great
While it sucks toughing out the time you can’t be with them, the reunion is a feeling like no other. There is nothing like a hug from someone you have missed and love so much.
4. Trust, trust, trust.
If you don’t have it, there’s no hope. Being distanced means it is extremely important to have faith in your relationship with your SO and to believe with all your heart that they will wake up everyday and continue to choose to love you. While trust is tricky (and at times, terrifying), it is something you need in any relationship- long distance or not.
5. Getting attitude solely because you miss them is a REAL thing.
If you asked my boyfriend, he would confirm that half the time I get sassy with him is because I miss him. Sometimes the fact you can’t physically hold your SO is reason enough to get mad, and that’s fine. I’m really not sorry about it.
6. Cherish the moments you have together.
This is the one that has been most influential on me and probably should have been the most obvious. Sometimes when I’m with my boy, I get sad (and sometimes even mad) while being with him just because I’m thinking of how I’m going to have to leave him again in what seems like such a short time. Looking back, I wonder how those moments would have changed if I would have applied what I know now. If I would have lived in those moments and had been more present and appreciative of the time I was given instead of thinking what came next, would I feel how I do now? In the end, it is important to learn this lesson early and apply it everywhere you go. No matter what you do and who you spend your time with, be fully there in that moment and that will make those times even better!