With the school year coming to an end, some of us who found love at college may be preparing for the one thing a couple never wants to do… long distance. For me, long distance was never an option, despite the inevitable truth that if I wanted to be in a relationship, I would have to be far away from the person. But it was when I met my boyfriend that I realized that if I really wanted a future with him, I would have to.Â
I came from thousands of miles away to attend West Virginia University for college, which is also happens to be a while away from where my boyfriend lives. However, the distance between my boyfriend and I is about to change dramatically in a little over a week. Despite already having a distance between us as we attend different colleges, a one-hour drive compared to a forty-hour drive is a large adjustment. However, if you love someone and see a future with that person, the distance should just be an obstacle to overcome. Of course, all of this is easier said than done, and I myself am nervous about what the future may look like for us, but I have hope that this will work in my favor.Â
Before getting into a relationship, you should always account for the distance, but that should not be at the forefront of your mind. I say this because I knew the distance was a lot, but I also knew that he meant too much to me, and I didn’t want the distance to hinder the relationship. As we are already at different colleges, I can only see him on weekends, but I have already seen and felt how hard the distance is. Yes, we have FaceTime and other means of communication, but it is much different than the physical connection.Â
In order to make the distance easier, my boyfriend and I made sure to make a plan on how we wanted to proceed in the relationship. This looked like finding time to fly to each other over the summer (specific dates and trip ideas), finding out how to have date nights and setting a schedule to send care packages to each other.Â
In a long-distance relationship, the effort you put into it is what you get out of it. If there is little communication, then the relationship will become harder. If you don’t put in effort to see each other, it can feel as though something is missing. And of course, it is sometimes hard to do these things, especially when things can be skewed over text or calls but you have to try. This is why you really have to love the person and see something with them if you want it to work, it is not worth it. If you want to be in a relationship just because, or if you are wary of the relationship you are in, maybe long distance isn’t for you.
I will say that sometimes it is important to do long distance with your partner. Long distance is a test to see how strong your relationship is, so if you can make it through that, then I genuinely believe you can make it through anything. For some people, spending time away from their significant other can help them work on themselves without the pressure of another person. It can also make the relationship stronger as it builds trust and communication skills. If you are with the right person, the distance shouldn’t be as hard as you think
There is so much negativity behind being in a long-distance relationship, but I think the reason for that is that people are scared of them. No, the situation is not ideal, but I know that I would choose long distance with my boyfriend over a close distance with anyone else.