People often associate long distance relationships as being the end of the road for many couples, and while yes they are difficult, that doesn’t mean they’re totally bad. Actually, in many cases it’s even better than being close by or being at the same school (I speak from experience with both). So, I’d like to point out some of my favorite things about having a boyfriend who lives hours away.
Independence
Yes, I said it. I LOVE being on my own, and I love that we have our own separate lives during our late years of college. College shouldn’t be about spending all your time with your significant other, it should be a time to allow yourself to grow into your own individual person and I don’t believe you can do that when you’re tied hip to hip with someone. In fact, I’ve found it so nice to be able to compare worlds with one another and to be able to share stories and the days events together. When you’re away from one another and you have different experiences and friends to talk about, the conversation is much more engaging and brings your closer together than it would for a couple who shares their average day with one another.
Clarity
Ever hear the phrase, “absence makes the heart grow fonder”? Well, I hate to break it to you but that is absolutely not always the case- and this is a very good thing. The worst case for long distance is an impending break up, but it’s a very glass half empty way of viewing things. I prefer the alternate way, which is viewing it as a test to see if you and your boo are actually meant to be. It’s not even something I entirely worry about happening anymore after thinking this way about things, and that’s important mentality for any couple to survive a distance. Being away from each other gives you a chance to evaluate exactly how much your significant other means to you, and where your relationship ranks on your priorities list. As a college student, it’s not always the easiest or wisest thing to do to put your relationship above all else in your life, in fact, this can be detrimental for both you and your relationship later on in life. View the distance as a way to prioritize the relationship as you see fit, and not as a “love death sentence”.
Communication
One of the important things in any relationship is being able to communicate with one another. While this is important in all relationships, it’s the most important in long distance- for the obvious reason being it’s practically all you have. Being away from each other gives you an opportunity to see this with your S.O. and to evaluate if both of your levels of communication are compatible, and more importantly if they are not. When talking is all you have and you remove any convenience or the physical aspects of being in a relationship- with the right person this will be enough, and with the wrong one you’ll know for sure it’s not.
Basically, distance is a test for any relationship but that isn’t always a bad thing. It gives you both the freedom you deserve to have in college and in the best cases it grows your relationship with your partners even more. Don’t let the daunting miles between the two of you scare you off, don’t forget -the key to success is commitment!