Relationships are already hard as it is. Adding distance and you're asking for a cyclone of complications. A number of individuals have experienced this and know all too well the progression...
Conversations become stale. Calls are almost always missed. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and so many more social media outlets become traps for your significant other to "stalk" you. There is a myriad of possibilities. Your life's anthem becomes the chorus of "Stayin' Alive"!
Though don't get me wrong. There are many couples that make it through with little discomfort. Personally, I'm the one to need some advice from multiple sources (i.e. AskMen, LifeHack, my grandpa) just to survive. Point is: Distance can breakdown a relationship. However, in my experience, there is one relationship that thrives on distance. You probably know what I'm talking about...
What long distance relationship works?
The one with your parents.
A little bit anti-climatic but its true. If you were like me in high school, family time was something you were forced to attend. At the time, I would rather have spent my day hanging out with friends, going to the movies, jumping flames at bonfires, or going bunny-blasting (I'll explain that later). It's sad but that's how I was. I know I'm not the only one who dreaded family time. But eventually that changed when distance came into play, specifically 2598.15 miles.
As much fun and exciting it is being a Tar Heel, there are times when you will have a moment by yourself and miss your parents. Pathetically, I would catch myself dreaming of family time with my own parentals. Last year, the only action that I could take to ease my desire was to call. So I called a lot.
Remember that list of complications about long distance relationships? Never ran into them with my parents. I always had some new story to tell. I scheduled talking time with them, so there was hardly ever a missed call. I stalked their social media... in order to engage and comment and talk to them about what I read or saw earlier.
Finally, when I came back home, our relationship strengthened even more. It went from "Napoleon Dynamite" to "The Rock." I wanted to spend as much time as I could with my parents. I scheduled lunch dates, weekend movies, and would forego any plans with my friends if my parents asked me to join them in their escapades.
That 2,500 miles really made a difference in my relationship with my parents. It made me appreciate what I had and showed me how much they really mattered in my life.
Carolina brings thousands of students from far away places and distance from home is common. So... I know I'm not the only who's experienced this. On the surface, distance does weaken some relationships. However, in essence, I think it gives individuals an opportunity to discover how much someone truly matters. In my life, I will go to the moon and back to keep my mom and dad close, so distance has showed me that I love them.
I hope that each one of you calls your parents often. If they're like my parents, then they're actually very cool!
...which reminds me, I have to go. Calling the parentals!
