7 Major Keys to a Long Distance Relationship | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Relationships

7 Major Keys to a Long Distance Relationship

Let's ensure absence makes the heart grow fonder.

1328
7 Major Keys to a Long Distance Relationship
ClickHole

Long-distance relationships are sometimes unavoidable and love shouldn't be deterred by state lines or oceans. When you love someone it will transcend any obstacle thrown at it. With that being said, these types of relationships are not a walk in the park. Whether your partner left for college, a job, or a family emergency, it can quickly become a way of life. The important thing is not to let the distance make your love grow more distant, but fonder. Here are some major keys to keep the bond intact despite a number of miles that separate you from your significant other:

No. 1: Understanding.

Okay, so accept it. They are leaving for one reason or another. There is no point in arguing about whether or not they are going...you are past that. As their partner, they need you to support them in this difficult decision. It isn't easy for them either to uproot their lives and head off without you. Trust me, they'd rather not. But the key here is understanding that this is a challenge for them too and yet they are willing to walk through the fire with you over anyone else. Once you can understand their decision, it will ease your separation anxiety a tiny bit.

No. 2: Trust.

If you don't have trust in your partner, this will not work. Walk away while you're ahead now and jump right through the stages of a breakup. The levels of trust needed to make a long distance relationship work are countless. You have to trust that they won't cheat. You have to trust they are doing everything they can to return to you. You have to trust this move is nothing more than business and nothing shady. Lastly, you have to trust yourself to let them go. You can accept it but can you walk in it? You are also asking your partner simultaneously to trust you as well.

No. 3: Space.

The change of not being able to pop up at your significant other's house is an obvious one - the physical space between the two of you. You will undoubtedly try to overcompensate this loss of space with phone calls, FaceTime chats, Skyping, Facebook chatting, and every other way of connecting through other media platforms. In the words of Bryson Tiller, "Don't," because it's annoying and it speaks to a lack of trust (as mentioned previously) and insecurity. You won't be on the same schedule anymore and you might not get a text response every second of the day. But it's important that you allow them the space to do what they left you to do. Then in return, reasonably create time together to keep in contact and keep fostering that love.

No. 4: Keeping It Spicy.

Don't succumb to the idea of out of sight, out of mind. Keeping your relationship "spicy," or exciting, will help to alleviate the hardships of a long-distance relationship. A sexy voicemail, a cute picture, or a post only they will understand. Finding innovative ways to make up for the lack of physical intimacy while also not crowding each other will go a long way.

No. 5: Visits (Planned and Unplanned).

Long-distance relationships should not also, in turn, mean isolation. Make some time to visit each other whether at home, the new place, or a common vacation together. Nothing is cuter than that initial meet up after a long absence at the airport. So plan time together and if possible, in evenly spaced out time. Maybe even pop up once or twice on them unexpectedly at your own risk.

No. 6: Creating a common ground.

I found it a big help to create something you both do together at the same time to keep things going. For example, a TV show you can both catch weekly together and recap together after it's over. It's something so small but can easily have you both entertained and looking forward to next time. It will also help to keep you both grounded while everything else around you is shifting.

No. 7: Support.

There are going to be a lot of tears, frustrations, and times of loneliness on both sides. The major key is to never stop supporting each other. Honestly, the way your love will grow because of it is something you cannot quantify. Just know that if you both make it to the other side whole and still in love, that is your ride or die.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
ross geller
YouTube

As college students, we are all familiar with the horror show that is course registration week. Whether you are an incoming freshman or selecting classes for your last semester, I am certain that you can relate to how traumatic this can be.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

Bonus points if it is more than two.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends

Whether you're commuting or dorming, your first year of college is a huge adjustment. The transition from living with parents to being on my own was an experience I couldn't have even imagined- both a good and a bad thing. Here's a personal archive of a few of the things I learned after going away for the first time.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Economic Benefits of Higher Wages

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

300314
Illistrated image of people crowded with banners to support a cause
StableDiffusion

Raising the minimum wage to a livable wage would not only benefit workers and their families, it would also have positive impacts on the economy and society. Studies have shown that by increasing the minimum wage, poverty and inequality can be reduced by enabling workers to meet their basic needs and reducing income disparities.

I come from a low-income family. A family, like many others in the United States, which has lived paycheck to paycheck. My family and other families in my community have been trying to make ends meet by living on the minimum wage. We are proof that it doesn't work.

Keep Reading...Show less
blank paper
Allena Tapia

As an English Major in college, I have a lot of writing and especially creative writing pieces that I work on throughout the semester and sometimes, I'll find it hard to get the motivation to type a few pages and the thought process that goes behind it. These are eleven thoughts that I have as a writer while writing my stories.

Keep Reading...Show less
April Ludgate

Every college student knows and understands the struggle of forcing themselves to continue to care about school. Between the piles of homework, the hours of studying and the painfully long lectures, the desire to dropout is something that is constantly weighing on each and every one of us, but the glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel helps to keep us motivated. While we are somehow managing to stay enrolled and (semi) alert, that does not mean that our inner-demons aren't telling us otherwise, and who is better to explain inner-demons than the beloved April Ludgate herself? Because of her dark-spirit and lack of filter, April has successfully been able to describe the emotional roller-coaster that is college on at least 13 different occasions and here they are.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments