Now that the whirlwind of recruitment is over and me finally getting into a routine, I have noticed the hardest parts of doing a long-distance relationship. I have been dating my best friend for about four months now and going multiple days, even weeks can be hard. We have had to learn how to work with each other's schedules so we can take care of our relationship that I value so much. Learning how to live with the distance wasn't easy at first, but we have now gotten into our own routine together. My boyfriend, Justin, is one of the coolest people I know, and not seeing him as much as I did at home was definitely challenging.

No communication, no relationship

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Sometimes there are days that Justin and my schedules clash badly, and we go hours on hours without communication. No matter what, we always find time to have a phone call with each other and catch the other up on what has been happening. Not talking to Justin can be hard, but I look forward to when we do and that makes me cherish those moments even more.

Keep doing the small things

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I know it's cliche, but the small things really do matter. Just a simple "I miss you" or "thinking of you" text can go so far. Being away isn't an excuse to stop doing the small things. I am so thankful that I have a boyfriend who continues to do the small things, even being away from him. We both agree that long distance isn't ideal, but having these little reminders make it worth it.

Treat your time together as normal as possible

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Every time Justin and I have been together since I came back to college, we have done the same simple things we did when we were together. For example, I love a good Sonic run and would be happier with McDonald's than a big fancy dinner date. I'm a simple gal who just loves a cheeseburger and fries while spending time with her boyfriend. If we started doing more extravagant dates, we might get used to that, which would make going back to the same area code a high-pressure thing, and that is never fun.