How to Cope With Your Long Distance Relationship

Being an expert in long distance relationships is not exactly something everyone wants to be. It would mean you would be used to being lonely and going long times without seeing your significant other. As a person who has been in one very successful long distance relationship, and also has had one fail, a few different tips come to mind for making it work.

Tip #1: When you decide to take the plunge with your significant other, you need to be aware of the fact that it is going to be very hard and it will make you feel very lonely. When I jumped into my relationship with my boyfriend I knew it was going to be hard, but I had no idea how lonely I would feel. It is like being single, but without the privilege of going out to flirt with strangers at the bar or frat house.

To help with the loneliness, my boyfriend and I have scheduled nightly calls. It is the best time of day for both of us and it gives you something to look forward to, while making you feel less pressured to text back right away during the day so you can fill them in on the story later that night or whenever you feel it would be best to talk.

Tip #2: You need to really listen to what is happening in their life and be very supportive, if not then what is the point in talking to someone who only cares about themselves. With my failed LDR (Long Distance Relationship), as soon as he went off to college in another state he immediately was only focused on his new life and that is all he cared to talk about.

And when you do go off to college it is important to really focus on your new life, which is why we decided to end things because we both were too focused on our own lives to put forth the attention and support for the others. When deciding to do the distance your phone calls and texts are all you have. Make sure they're your interest, not just your diary.

Tip #3: See each other as frequently as possible, but also for as long as possible. The moments you have together with your significant other are what make the distance worth it. With that being said, you are so used to speaking to each other through a technological medium that it may be kind of awkward your first day or two together. This is why I added to see each other for as long as possible.

Weekend trips are fun, but forty eight hours with sixteen hours of sleeping time doesn't leave a lot of time to feel like a normal couple. Work and school can make seeing each other very limited, but maybe instead of seeing each other every three weeks for a weekend, a long four day weekend every five weeks would be more rewarding. Also, take turns seeing each other. If you are always the one spending money and changing your schedule to see the other then it can seem pretty unfair.

Tip #4: Dating is the key to keeping the relationship alive. Yes, physically you cannot be together. However, that doesn't mean you can't video chat and have a nice glass of wine and a fancy dinner together. Or watch a movie at the same time and text or put the phone of speaker while you watch. Being creative is such an important part of a long distance relationship because a nightly phone call won't just cut it after the first six weeks.

Send care packages and letters to make them feel special. Just knowing that they wanted to surprise you and let you know that they were thinking of you makes the other remember why you guys decided to do the dreaded long distance.

With these tips perhaps your unfortunate situation with your relationship can be made a little better. Just remember that the distance isn't forever, and that the love you share can conquer all.