The summer of 2016 was a big summer for me. My best friend was just three months away from starting her journey with the Navy Reserves.

This summer was going to be one for the books. We would travel to Cancun, attend country concerts, shop until we dropped, and just soak up one amazing summer before we spent the next 10 months apart. I was already gearing up for a long-distance relationship with my best friend and had zero intentions of dating someone. Brad Paisley had other plans.

On July 30^th, 2016, My best friend and I attended a Brad Paisley concert. There was a campground across from Ruoff Music Center (they changed the name again so for my Hoosier friends this used to be Klipsch) and we decided we were going to camp out. I had seen so many college kids our age, and we were excited to make new friends as we had attended a small college we both just graduated from.

Little to our knowledge, however, no one camped out for this concert! We were disappointed no one seemed to have set up camp. As we debated striking the tent and leaving, we spotted one guy on the other side of the campground.

After a game of… water pong… I learned this handsome guy’s name was Matt. He was from Kentucky, in town for the concert. Several hours later I found myself in a conversation with him learning about his life. Actually, I take that back, he did most of the listening while I chatted away.

We stayed up the whole night talking, and when the sun set it surprised us both. I gave him my number when he asked, but I truly thought I would not see him again. One week later, he was at my doorstep in his cowboy boots and signature UK hat. Despite the fact he likes a bad college team, I knew then he was going to stick around.

Matt still lives in Louisville, Kentucky and I reside in Muncie, Indiana as I finish school. Long distance has not been easy! It is no walk in the park. Good communication is key to any successful relationship, but I’d argue it’s even more important in a long-distance relationship.

Because your significant other isn’t there throughout the week, you have to carve out time to talk on the phone or FaceTime. Matthew and I are both more old-fashion and we prefer to call or FaceTime instead of having a constant conversation over text. Texts are more for quick blurps or funny videos we want to send. I never realized that with being long-distance, those nightly phone calls make the day-to-day so much easier.

In addition to having good communication, Matt and I learned the hard way how to utilize our time when we are together. I think with long-distance you feel a pressure to do “big” dates every time you’re together.

During our first few months of dating, we started to realize we were running out of money. Matt and I try to balance who visits who evenly. So for example, if we see each other twice that month, Matt would drive to Indiana once and I will drive to Kentucky. You have to consider gas for the trips, and then whatever we choose to do for dates. We learned early on to shake the stigma that we had to go “all out” every time we saw each other.

Don’t get me wrong, Matt still spoils me plenty! I am blessed to get flowers quite often from him, and we still go on dates. We just learned that sometimes sitting next to each other and watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine is just as special as going to our favorite Hibachi restaurant and seeing a movie after. When you’re long-distance, anytime you have together is special, so you don’t have to go broke just to make it “worth it”.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder! Whoever said this was not joking. Before I was in a long-distance relationship, I never realized how much more I would value my time with significant other. My best friend (who I mentioned earlier and by the way and is back home for good from the Navy!) also has a long-distance boyfriend.

One thing she tells me when we discuss the difficulty of long-distance is that “remember it is only temporary. Your time apart will make your time together in the long-run so much more worth it.” I couldn’t agree more!

I had a similar mindset when she was in Florida for the Navy and I was in Indiana. Long-distance friendships are just as tough as dating relationships. In both instances, I have truly learned to appreciate my time with the person who I have distance with.

Matt is preparing to move to Indiana for his job this summer and we are pretty excited to finally be in the same state! These last months of the distance after a year and a half are a little torturous, but it will make the finish line so much more rewarding. I never knew I would find someone at a country concert, let alone someone who doesn’t live close by but as I reflect on our relationship, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I am so blessed to have endured the ups and downs with someone so amazing. To all my long-distance warriors- whether it be family, friends, or dating, you can do it! Long-distance is such a special thing. It makes you and your relationship stronger. Happy Valentine’s Day to all, especially those Long-Distance.