Whether you’ve been dating someone for three years or three months, taking a relationship to college is a major struggle. From trying to plan skype dates around classes and extra-curriculars to counting down the days until the next visit, long distance relationships in college take massive amounts of effort. But, if you’re both willing to put in the time, love, and effort, I guarantee it is totally worth it.
Freshman year was a whole new experience for me, as it was for everyone who moved away from home and started a new school. But I, unlike a lot of my newfound friends, “left my heart at home” because I went away to college while my boyfriend of three years stayed behind to go to school closer to my hometown. Going from seeing him every single day in high school and over the summer to seeing him maybe once a month hit me extremely hard, but we both decided to put in the effort to try and make it work. Believe me when I tell you that it was difficult- I spent countless nights in tears because of ‘fomo’ (fear of missing out) and crying because I felt alone. It was emotionally trying, but I am a firm believer that all the stress and struggle made us stronger as a couple. Many uncontrollable factors affected my stress levels throughout the year, but schoolwork was number one on the list. Unfortunately, when it seems like work and exams are piling on and all you want is a hug to make it better, the sadness kicked in and you remembered that your boyfriend is seventy miles away and cannot physically be there to tell you that everything will be fine. But, sometimes just hearing someone’s voice over the phone is enough to get you through the rough patch and give you the motivation to push through the assignments and studying until you can breathe again. It’s the little things like “I believe in you” and “you’re doing great” that really make a difference and assure someone that you care and support them, and also reassures the other person that you are in the relationship for the right reasons.
What would college be without random hookups in a disgusting basement? To me- it would be just the same. Sure, it does get boring when all of your friends are on the hunt for boys and you get to stand in the corner and people watch, but it makes the reunion with your boyfriend so much better. Just knowing that you can go home or go visit your boyfriend and have someone who unconditionally loves you and likes spending time with you makes everything okay. Personally, I would rather cuddle up and watch a movie with someone who actually cares about me than hookup with someone who could not care less about me and forget about me the next day.
College is a prime time to discover yourself and accomplish great things. Of course the unwritten rule is that parents HAVE to be proud of you with everything, so having a significant other who is genuinely proud as well makes your accomplishments that much more special. I love being able to tell people what great project my boyfriend is working on, or what he has recently worked so hard to achieve. It brings me happiness to see that other people are proud of him too, and I am sure the feeling is mutual for him when I do something awesome too. Having someone to share your successes in college and be one of your biggest fans for everything you put your mind to makes the relationship worth it even more.
Sophomore year is only slightly easier in regards to my relationship. Emotions will always be prevalent, stress will always affect his and my life, and distance is always a factor. But, with the right amount of positive emotion and support, even the furthest distance apart is still worth it in my eyes. Last year taught me so much, and I know that my, and along with any other long distance relationship, can be successful with a little effort and a lot of love.