Some of you may or may not have ever been in a relationship with someone who is in the military. Those who have know that saying goodbye is one of the hardest things you have ever done. In this article I’ll go over a few of the major things in dealing with being in a military relationship.
The Distance:
It is extremely hard to adjust to not only the miles between you, but also that there is often silence. Writing letters is most of the communication. The distance has its pros and cons. The pros are that your love grows so much stronger. The cons are that it is hard to be reminded of what it’s like when they are with you. I find myself looking back on the memories that we have already and the memories that are soon to come. I always tell myself that I’m just another day closer to being with him again. A UNH student currently in a military relationship states, “Going from meeting each other in college and seeing each other every day, to seeing each other for one weekend every 2-3 months is a huge transition. It’s not easy. At the same time though, when you find yourself in one of these relationships there is no better alternative. You just make it work. Even though you never get to see them, the time you do get to have is so worth it.”
The Pressure:
While being in college, it is hard to be in the environment at times. Being loyal and being strong can be difficult tasks for some people. The pressure can cause some people to crack. I believe that distance is an ultimate test of someone’s strength in the relationship. It is especially hard when you are surronded by a lot of other couples daily. You tend to envy every second they have with their significant other and knowing you’re not walking distance to your sweetie anymore is hard.
The Advice:
So I asked the same UNH student for her advice on how to get through it. She said, “The best advice is communication. Talking on the phone, skyping, facetime, anything like that makes things so much easier. Trust me, the thought of dating someone in the military is much more intimidating than when it is actually happening. You get used to the distance and then when you finally get to see each other it’s just the best. Stay in contact, see each other when you can, and even send each other little gifts every now and then to keep the love alive. Anyone can do it, I’m no special case.”
Hopefully this article was an inside view of what it’s like for us military girlfriends and things that might help you if you’re in the same situation. All that is really left to say is that love is the most powerful feeling and no matter what you are struggling with, if the love is strong enough you can get through anything. Don’t give up hope.