After enduring months of freezing weather and the infamous “cuffing season,” it seems every couple has been glued to each other’s hips. Relationships tend to have this outcome; you want to spend every moment with your significant other. It does not matter what you are doing: as long as you’re with them, it’s okay. However, what happens when that individual you love and crave so much is hours away? Long distance relationships are unquestionably a challenge, and while people often state they put a strain on the relationship, they are not wrong. However, like any situation, long distance relationships do have positive aspects that are worth noting.
Achieving a long-distance relationship takes an absurd amount of trust and patience. Your significant other is hours away doing who knows what and while it is easy to worry about their activities, it is vital to remember you have the same freedom. You too are hours away and can be doing what you please as well. That is the first thing I realized about long-distance relationships, while you love doing activities with your other half sometimes it is nice to not worry about what they want to do. You now get do what you want. Compromise is temporarily thrown out the window and it’s “you” time. Watching your favorite TV show instead of watching your partner play Fortnight for hours can quickly be a welcomed change. However, if the activities you want to be doing fall anywhere on the spectrum of cheating, you should not be in a relationship and should thank the distance for showing you this.
Being in a relationship can, unfortunately, morph two individuals into one. Being at a distance, especially if you have been dating for a long time, can force a person to find themselves again. The opposition may conclude that it is like being single again. However, that is false. You are indeed by yourself and getting to rediscover things about you, but your partner will still always be a Facetime or Snapchat away to help you through it. Just because you’re miles away does not take away the love and support that was there before. The space will force you to branch out. Space can be a place for personal growth and flourishing; no longer should it be seen negatively. Thinking positively about the distance will be one of the largest factors of succeeding after all.
Any road to success starts with getting work accomplished and sometimes your partner can be the biggest distraction of all. Your partner should be your biggest supporter and want you to achieve your goals but even then, their presence can be disruptive. Personally, I cannot count how many times I have tried to complete my homework around my significant other only to find myself having to refocus every five minutes. Therefore, being without them can be great for productivity.
Besides the advantages of not being with your significant other, the times you do get to be with them will truly be heavenly. You begin to see why you love them all over again. Time spent together feels so significant and special. Every small argument that you would normally get into fades away because at last, you are finally seeing their beautiful face. Increments of time spent together will be far more valued and you are reminded of how much they do for you since you are now without it. Being with each other in person strengthens your bond, you will never take one another for granted. Time is limited, and the time spent with one another is precious.
Throughout the troubled times that you will encounter during the distance, it can be easy to lose sight of the real goal at hand; to be with your partner. Being apart can be grim but being without them completely would be worse.