I am a freshman at the University of Teneesse-Knoxville, and have decided to go for this whole long distance relationship ordeal. We are 182 miles apart from each other, Knoxville, TN to Portland, TN. The first year has been difficult, but not impossible. I am going to explain how to make a long distance relationship work in 11 simple commitments.
1.) Be thoughtful of your partner. I am not telling you not to have fun, but to be considerate of the person you have committed to being in a relationship with. Think of them when you go out to have a good time, and think of their feelings.
2.) Be prepared to have people reject your friendship. I made several friends the first semester, and weeks into what I thought was a friendship, I brought my boyfriend into the conversation. In short, these people magically dropped off my radar on their own will. Do not let it get you down, this happens, and there is no one to blame, except the person who rejected your friendship.
3.) Make time for each other. It is so important to make time for your partner. You need to make sure they know they are loved especially in a long distance relationship where physical proof is hard to come by. You can make time for each other by setting FaceTime dates, writing letters, or sending gifts.
4.) Don’t be consumed by the missing of your boyfriend/girlfriend. When you focus on how they are not with you, it affects your ability to see past that sadness. Instead focus that energy on the next time you get to see your loved one, and happiness will be evident in your daily life.
5.) Do not lose your identity in your relationship. Remember that people that you will be interacting with are here for you, not for your boyfriend/girlfriend. Do not let your relationship status define you’re individuality. Be confident in the person you are, and bring in all the good friends, they will make you feel more at home where you are.
6.) Good communication is key in a long distance relationship. If you and you’re boyfriend/girlfriend do not have an understanding of how you want to communicate then you need to figure that out. Do not get mad about the little things, and be sure to express your feelings well and at with the right timing. No one can read minds, so do not expect the one you love to understand you via no words.
7.) Don’t be overly dramatic. If something does not go your way, do not let it ruin your day and take it out on your partner. Deal with it, and talk about it with each other. Fights seem to be a bigger issue when the person is not there. Do not blow things out of proportion.
8.) Celebrate each other. Take the time to cherish each other. Once a month, on a special day like the day the relationship began, spend a few minutes telling your partner how important they are to you.
9.) Let your boyfriend/girlfriend know when you are thinking of them. People love it when someone spends time thinking of them, so never be afraid to let that special someone know you think of them from time to time. You can always shoot a quick text, or a 5 minute phone call works
.
10.) Take it one day at a time. We can only live in the now, so take advantage of that in your relationship. Do not be stressed over the possible future with your partner. Do not hold the past over your boyfriend/girlfriend’s head. Embrace each day together; it makes for a more positive enviornment for both of you together and separately.
11.) Trust the person you have committed to being in a long distance relationship with. The key to any relationship is trust, but especially with long distance. It is hard being in a relationship where you do not get to see that person everyday and know what kind of enviornment they are in, so you have to trust they are making good decisions. Just like it says in the word: trust, you can’t create “trust” without “us”, so put in the extra effort to really give your partner your trust.
