I want to start off by saying that a relationship like this is not for the faint of heart; it requires commitment, sacrifice and a lot of hard work. I would not recommend getting into a situation like this unless you are absolutely certain that you and your partner are willing to do what it takes to keep a regular relationship going, plus like 20 million other things to keep the long-distance part of your relationship going. It’s tough, but it is definitely worth it.
What is really weird about continuing to date your high school sweetheart into your college years is that you both have a taste of what it is like to see each other literally every single day for years. It’s almost impossible not to see your significant other when you go to the same high school. Whether it’s talking by your lockers before class starts, passing each other in the halls, eating lunch together or walking out together after classes are over, you two are always within a reasonable distance from each other. Then you decide to go to one university while your partner decides to go to another one in a different state. Now what? The transition from seeing each other literally every single day to maybe once a month – if you’re lucky – is abrupt and horrible, and it’s not fun at all. But you make it work.
The effort required is immense. Sure, texting each other all the time is OK - you’re definitely still communicating which is good, but it doesn’t even start to compare to physically being in the same room as the person you love. FaceTiming is a good middle ground. You actually get to hear their voice and see their face, which is a definite step up from texting, but it still lacks that intimacy you share when you’re together. Like I mentioned before, this closeness is a sacrifice that you need to be willing to make in order to make the relationship work. But you also need to put in some serious effort to plan these FaceTime sessions and make sure your texting conversations aren’t stale, because that’s no fun for anybody. Effort is key in this situation.
And let’s not forget about the sacrifices that need to be made when you go out with your girlfriends. Well, they’re not really sacrifices, because if you’re willing to be in this kind of relationship you obviously don’t want to be with someone else - but still, it’s a little bit difficult seeing your girlfriends dancing and flirting with other people while you’re there trying not to give the wrong impression to anyone that you talk to. Like I said, you’re not sacrificing the ability to go home with someone else because you don’t really want to do that. You’re sacrificing being able to keep up with your girlfriends when they decide to get a little crazy. You’re always thinking about how your actions will affect your significant other in the back of your mind – which is not a bad thing, it’s just not always what college students are known for.
The three things required for any normal relationship are commitment, effort and sacrifice, but they are 10 times more necessary for a long-distance relationship. Throw in the fact that you’ve had a taste of what it’s like to be together every single day, and the loneliness and frustrations of missing your partner can really get to you some days. But you wouldn’t still be in this relationship if you weren’t certain you would have a future together, and you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t love them a lot. So keep planning FaceTime dates and remembering the future you have planned with them - and it will all be worth it in the end.
