Most good things in life come unexpectedly. For me, it was getting into a relationship my sophomore year of college. In October I sporadically downloaded Tinder with my friends, and I ended up meeting my current boyfriend. Even more unexpected, since our hometowns are over 300 miles away from each other, we are in a long distance relationship for the next couple of months until school starts again in August. Here are some tips that you can use to make the distance feel a little closer.
Play games together
A little friendly competition has never hurt anyone, and playing games can make you and your partner feel connected no matter how many miles apart you are. If you both have iPhones, GamePigeon has tons of games like billiards and cup pong that you can play through iMessage. My personal favorite game to play with my boyfriend is Words With Friends.
Plan times to visit
Summer break is a long time to go without seeing someone that you are in a relationship with. Planning weekend visits can give you something to look forward to and helps space out the long periods of time apart. Showing the area where you grew up can be a great bonding experience and can give you insight about the other person’s life more than stories can. Downloading a countdown app or counting down the days on a physical calendar can be a fun tool to use while waiting, but make sure to still focus on yourself while you and your boo are apart.
Plan FaceTime or Zoom dates
In my opinion, video chatting is essential to maintaining a long distance relationship as it is the closest thing to being together IRL. You can cook a meal together, virtually play a conversation game like We’re Not Really Strangers or even watch a movie together through Teleparty.
Send handwritten letters or packages
Nothing is better than receiving a handwritten note in the mail. Handwritten letters provide a more personal touch than texts or Snapchats. Sending care packages customized for your bae can be a nice surprise that lets them know how much you care.
Set boundaries
Too much communication can be a bad thing, so instead of talking on the phone for hours on end every single day, it might be a good idea to get to know your person’s schedule and plan specific times to talk.
Spend time on yourself
Although it can be hard to be without your significant other after being used to it for so long, it is important that you use your time apart to improve yourself. Picking up a new hobby can aid in personal growth while also distracting yourself from missing your person.
Good luck, and remember if it is meant to be, it will be.