A long-distance relationship consists of a lot more than just communication, trust, and honesty. In order to make it last, you and your partner need to be willing to take risks together. At the beginning of my senior year of high school, I told myself that I wanted to enjoy my last year and focus on myself, but crazy things happen when you least expect it.
I met Harry halfway through my senior year. At first, we we’re just friends, but it evolved into something really special. I’ve always been told that I should not go to college in a relationship because it would be too difficult. And to be completely honest, they were not wrong. There are ups and downs to long distance relationships, but you find ways to make things work if you’re willing to. Throughout the past seven months my boyfriend and I have learned a lot about how long distance works for us. So here are the most important tips and ways to manage a strong long-distance relationship:
But, WAIT … before I get I get started I just need to mention one thing. This isn’t going to be the typical long-distance relationship advice about just trust, communication, and honestly. Even though those are key points, that is not everything to a good relationship. I want to be as genuine as I can and tell you the truth about long-distance relationships. NOW, let’s get started!!
Since my boyfriend Harry and I are both college students we are really busy doing our own things. We like to balance everything by taking trips to visit each other once in a while. We take turns traveling in order to balance out everything and be fair. Transportation is expensive and it’s not fair to make one person do all of the traveling. Another example of balance in a relationship is how often you talk to one another. I could text or FaceTime Harry all day, but there is a point where it’s too much. Being college students, we needed to allow the both of us enjoy our time alone. We both went out and joined several clubs, met new people, and experienced new things. This is our time to shine. Enjoy it while it’s here because I know this will all go by in a blink of any eye. Being away at college I needed to learn to be independent because I realized I can’t rely on my family or boyfriend anymore.
Independence is something I have really struggled with. I know that in order to be a strong woman I need to self-reliant, but sometimes it gets hard. I get really lonely easily. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some alone time, but there are times when I wish I could be right next to him and I can’t. I will admit I already miss Harry and I was with him just a few days ago. The best thing you can do is just look forward to the next time you will see him or her.
When Harry and I started dating we knew that there was a lot of commitment to come with our long-distance. We were both ready for the responsibility and dedication to make our relationship work. We are honest and loyal to one another because we both know we want to make this last. Everyone says that college is the time in your life where you will test your waters and experience news things, so you can find out what you want and don’t want in a relationship. However, you can also discover this while being in a relationship. Being with Harry made me realize that there are so many things I love about him but there are also some things I don’t like and that is completely normal! Nobody is perfect. If you love someone very much, those small qualities won’t make a difference because you know what you want. You will do anything and everything to stay with that person. My love for Harry is what pushes me to work harder at our relationship every day because I know it is all worth it in the end.
Being in a relationship you need to be able to trust who you are with. With trust, you need to be confident in yourself and in your partner. Harry and I are about 200 miles away from each other. We are both on our own studying at two different colleges. In order to set a tone about trusting one another you both need to talk about your values. If you don’t think you could trust your partner while you’re away at college or whether you live in two completely different states or even countries, then it’s not worth saving that relationship.
Saying goodbye over and over again never gets easier, no matter how many times you say it. That is always the hardest part for me. I still cry every single time, even though I know that it is truly never a “goodbye”, it is still really hard on the both of us. So, don’t worry about crying when you say goodbye because it is completely normal. Just know that it is not a goodbye, but a see you later.
Last but not least, when you are with your significant other do not take anything for granted. Enjoy the time you have together and make every single moment last. Some days you have more time together than others, cherish those days. Appreciate every hug and savor every kiss.