Long Distance Relationships are one of those easier said than done type of things.
While you may think that it’ll be easy to endure any amount of distance because your love for that person is so strong, you are most likely partially wrong. Yes, you may LOVE your significant other and WANT to make it through your time apart. But, it will NOT be easy.
Loving someone and hating being away from them go hand in hand. If you know that you and your partner will be living hours from each other for months or possibly years, chances are you will experience pain.
There will be nights when all you want to do is be held by the one you love, but neither of you are able to drive that long distance with such short notice.
There will be events that you’d love nothing more than to bring your partner to as your date, but they are busy and your scheduled time to spend together isn’t for a few more weeks.
Yes, these times are extremely hard to get through. But CHIN UP!
There are 5 ways that have deeply helped me stay sane during those times when I thought I was about to lose my mind from being away from my love. For anyone enduring the well-revered LDR, I suggest trying all five of these methods!
1. FaceTime dates
While these are NOT the same as actual face-to-face time with your significant other, they are the closest thing you can have when you are long distance. I have found that my nightly FaceTime dates with my boyfriend have kept me happy and excited throughout the day despite missing him. Whether it be every night, a few times a week, or even once a week; getting to talk to and see the one that you love over something other than a phone call or text makes a world of a difference. My advice is to take advantage of the technology that we have to make this possible and regularly Facetime, Skype, or video call your partner. It will make a world of a difference when you are badly missing them.
2. Plan your next visit while together
When in-person time together is coming to an end, it is a sad feeling knowing that goodbye is coming soon. No one wants to see the person that they love go home/ go home themselves if home is not close to them! When this time comes, something that will bring some positivity to the mood is planning the next time that you will see each other. Finding a date within the next few weeks or sometime within the next month and marking your calendar as the day that you will see each other again creates a happiness within the somber moment of see-you-later. And as soon as they leave, the new countdown to your reunion begins! It truly helps to have something to look forward to instead of focusing on the fact that they or you are temporarily leaving.
3. Take advantage of school breaks/ long weekends
It may be hard to perfectly line up vacations from school such as spring break, but there are often days that one or both of you These days are perfect to plan to see your love in advance. It is much easier to look at calendars ahead of time and block off certain school holidays for them. Instead of a simple day out of class, you can make long weekends, trips, or visits out of this. I personally hate skipping class, but would do so for my loved one. However; if you plan to see each other on a day with no class at all, it is a WIN-WIN SITUATION!
4. Write letters
Okay, I do realize that this is easier said than done. I’m sure every girl has vowed to write letters to their partner one day after they watched The Notebook for the first time. Unfortunately, writing a thoughtful letter takes a lot more time than typing out a simple “I love you” text. However, I have found writing letters to my boyfriend to be actually therapeutic when I miss him. Although I do stay in communication with him throughout the day, something about writing a physical letter and waiting for him to receive it in the mail makes my heart flutter in a way that texting him doesn’t. Also, if they write you a letter or card in return, this will be a special memento to hold onto and read whenever you miss them. Writing letters to each other can make you closer as a couple, and has a very romantic old-school feel to it. Also, sometimes writing your feelings out in a letter is a more rewarding release than typing them in a text. This may not be for everyone, but is definitely something worth trying in a LDR!
5. Mind over matter
If you have been in a long-distance relationship before, you know that one of the hardest parts of them is watching the one you leave drive away or driving away from them after a wonderful weekend or week together. Missing the person that you love is much harder than some may think. Settling for a text when you really need a hug is something that I still haven’t gotten used to, and I do not think I will. When you’re in love, it is hard to be separated from that for long periods of time. However, in these moments of hardship; it is important to consider the positive sides of your relationship instead of dwelling on being away from them. Something to consider is that long-distance is usually TEMPORARY.