“Long-distance sucks.” This is possibly the most commonly heard phrase on college campuses, behind “let’s grab chipotle” and “what are we?” I am not going to say that long-distance is not a challenge, but I do think that long-distance presents a lot of fun opportunities for building a better relationship while also growing into whoever you are as a person.
Long-distance is not only doable, but can also be really fun, especially now that we have so much amazing technology to stay connected with people, whether they are sitting beside you or are on the other side of the country.
If you are in a long-distance relationship or if you are thinking about whether one might be possible for you, consider these awesome ways to have fun together and build your friendship even if you are thousands of miles apart.
1. Netflix & Chill (Skype Edition)
Nothing quite brings people together like freaking out and obsessing over the same fictional characters on TV. Do you like Frank or Claire Underwood better? Team Fitz or Team Jake? What would Rick be without Morty? Are you beginning to kinda hate Annalise Keating? Have you ever had Martinelli’s apple juice? Who do you think should get the final rose???? These are the questions of our time. Maybe not that last one, but the other five are definitely valid and worthy of you and your love’s consideration.
2. Check(soul)mate(s)
The competition of a good online match of chess is a great way to engage with your boyfriend or girlfriend and simultaneously want to destroy their every hope of winning. Super romantic. (Results may vary).
3. Reading Together
If you get magazines or newspapers in the mail, or read something that you think would be interesting to talk about with your significant human, save it! If you have a hardcopy of a book that you are going to read, try marking it up with your thoughts as you go along through the book. When you finish the book, mail it to your boyfriend or girlfriend so they can read it and write their own comments in the margins in response to yours. When he or she sends it back, you can read all the comments and see what they were thinking about at some point in the book. If you see a link that would be cool, copy and paste it into skype so you can watch them read it, and then discuss.
4. Dinner Date
There is something about sharing a meal together that brings people together. Try sharing a meal over skype and having a virtual dinner date! Bonus: he can’t steal your last fry if he is hundreds of miles away. (insert evil laughter here).
5. Spotify
Make a spotify playlist together that includes all of your current jams so that you both can share your favorite songs with each other. It makes for a great new playlist of songs you love mixed with songs you might never have heard before! If you are not really into the same type of music, that’s okay too! Try making a playlist of songs that remind you of the other person instead.