First question: What is 2020, and when will it be over? On top of everything happening around the world, I’ve also been in my small hometown the entire time. I planned to take a two-week-long spring break vacation, but I’ve been here for over six months. It’s been long and that’s an understatement.
In March, I left campus and came home. All of my closest friends from the same hometown stayed in their college cities, but I figured I would see them again in two weeks. It turns out, I’m still missing them. While it’s been hard, we’ve always stayed connected through FaceTime or social media. Memes really do help during long-distance friendships.
When I first got home in March, I rekindled a relationship with someone I had previously been talking to. To make things harder, he doesn’t even live in the same state as me. We started talking every day again, and I instantly remembered why I ever liked this man. In June, he flew down, and we spent a week together. At the end of his trip, he popped the question, not marriage, but the start of an amazing relationship. We’ve been dating for a little over three months now, and it’s taught me so much. I promise he’s what every girl wants, and I consider myself lucky. This, however, doesn’t change the fact that we live over 1,000 miles away from each other. Like my situation with my friends, we talk on the phone every day, and we’ve even had virtual dates. I know it sounds cheesy, but trust me, it works. The Netflix Party extension really comes in handy for us. Exciting news though: I’m seeing him in less than ten days!
In both situations, I’ve learned to make time for the people I care about. It’s not my ideal way, and if I could change it, I definitely would. For now, amidst a pandemic, this is what works. I miss all my friends and especially my boyfriend, but my relationships right now are unique. My people are worth every mile.