Many college students hear the term “long-distance relationship” and think that the couple has been split up between universities, either out of high school or from a summer romance. But what about those romances that start during the school year, and they must go their separate ways back home over the summer? Do you break up? Is it put on hold?
Now I can’t promise this is going to be a “How to” article on how to have a great long-distance relationship, but hopefully by sharing my experience it can help you if you were in the same awful boat as I was over the summer.
I met this person at the end of the school year, with about a month left of freshman year. Of course we knew we’d be parting ways for the summer, but we were going to see how things went and hopefully not get too attached. Isn’t it funny how we say that? Well, little did I know, this boy lived in West-freaking-Virginia. So things were going to be tough since we were 13 hours away instead of only a few like most couples face. These are my tips, but more importantly, things that I learned:
1. It’s okay if they don’t reply to your text. You can’t be their master or you’ll push them away.
2. Always remind yourself: This isn’t going to be easy, but it will be worth it. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel: the next school year!
3. Skype is great – it adds an emotion that the phone alone just can’t convey.
4. Stay busy, an idle mind is danger! You’ll be thinking of them constantly and making up the worst scenarios possible as to why they’re not answering the phone.
5. Trust.
These were some tough lessons I learned. I’m sure you readers are stubborn and won’t listen to me now, but I would love to get a “Justin, you were right” e-mail after your experience. Also, by all means, I want to hear your stories and what you did to get by when all you wanted to do was to be spending time with that person, looking in their eyes, and wasting the day being lost in happiness. This is a tough thing for everyone, so please let us know your tips!
As for my story – we’re back at UCF this year. We hadn’t seen one another for 2 and a half months, so things aren’t going to snap back to picture perfect like they were before. Patience is key, and once you get back to classes and into a schedule, you two will be back to normal. Don’t be discouraged, and just remember that little light at the end of the tunnel.
YGBFF