Long distance relationships have their fair share of struggles whether it's with friends from back home or your significant other. I've been in a long distance relationship with my girlfriend for the entirety of our relationship; long story short, we met online while I live on the East Coast and she lives in Texas. There are many moments where you wish the other person could be by your side like when you graduate or have a bad day. To help you cope with being away from the one(s) you love, here are five tips to help thrive in a long distance relationship.

1. Schedule Skype Dates.

Pick a day and time that works for both of you consistently. Even if you both can only video chat for an hour twice a week, write that down and stick to it; it helps knowing that you have a set time to talk to your significant other.

2. Talk about the future.

This is one of my favorite things to do with my girlfriend. Talk about where you want to live, your dream jobs, what pets you want; start building a vision for your life together.

3. Create a vision board, blog, or social media page together.

Once you do this, you both see what the other person is interested in visual form. If you use a site that's picture based, like Tumblr, then you can get a glimpse into your significant other's head; you can really tell a lot about a person from things they reblog/retweet. You can also use a blog to document your experiences of being in a long distance relationship.

4. Get your significant other's school/work schedule.

Instead of wondering what your partner is doing, you can look at your phone or computer and say "oh they're in English class right now" or "they're work shift ends in an hour." This helps you feel like you're there during their day rather than feeling like an outsider because you're miles away.

5. Remind yourself that the distance isn't forever.

You'll graduate. You'll transfer to them. They'll move in with you. The possibilities are endless. This chapter will end and you guys will begin the next one together.