Not everyone gets the chance to have their friends/partner at their side all of the time. Sometimes you have to deal with the fact that you aren’t going to get to spend time with them all of the time. Long distance is hard to deal with, but it isn’t impossible. Here are some tips that will make the distance seem shorter than it really is!
1. Accept the fact that you two are going to be apart
It’s going to happen and it’s inevitable, so now it is your turn to come to terms with it. You have to learn to accept that you guys aren’t going to be seeing each other for a while. This would be a great time to discuss your stance on the situation.
2. Communicate
This may seem like a no-brainer, but communication is a key concept in this situation. Just because the other person is going to be far doesn’t mean that you no longer have to speak to one another. Though, one major tip would be to avoid excessive communication. Don’t become obsessive on having to talk to them every minute of every day. Having separate small conversations throughout the day may help keep everything more interesting.
3. Plan dates
If you guys are in a long distance relationship, don’t undermine the power of planning a date! Go all out and buy (or make) your favorite meal and eat together over Skype. Even if it only lasts an hour, it will make a difference. If you are in a long distance friendship, you guys can try this too! It could be a great bonding experience.
4. Don’t keep a score on who does what
Often times people tend to keep score on what someone did or did not do. Just because you called him/her last night doesn’t mean that he/her has to call you tomorrow. Relying on this score count system will only create problems when someone “messes up.” It’s also very childish. Simply learn to appreciate what you guys do for one another, and don’t force it.
5. Always say “Good morning” and “goodnight”
This is a small gesture that can go a long way especially if you guys are in different time zones! Whether it is a friendship or relationship, saying goodnight and good morning shows that they were on your mind at that period of the day. You don’t have to do it regularly, but once in a while would be nice!
6. Send care packages!
Sometimes receiving a random gift from a loved one helps the distance seem just a little bit closer. The contents of a care package don’t have to be expensive, it could be filled with their favorite candy, movie, photograph, etc. Either way, it will be a nice surprise to the person on the other side!
7. Have a “special” thing you guys do
Find that quirky thing that you guys do regularly to make the distance seem transparent. It could be something random like sending pictures of your meals or sending pictures or specific things that remind you of one another throughout the day. It may seem insignificant, but sometimes these are the things that mean the most.
8. Do things together
Just because you’re apart doesn’t mean that you can’t have a movie night, video game night, or things like that. Thankfully technology has gotten advanced enough to let us interact with one another while being miles apart. Take advantage of it! Just make sure that when you do these things to be focused on the time spent with each other. So try to save these moments when you’re not distracted that way it is time well spent.
9. Plan trips
Distance is hard to cope with, so plan trips with one another to have something to look forward to! The thrill of knowing that you are going to see someone special is like no other. This sometimes reassures the relationship!
10. Be honest
Don’t hide your feelings. Everyone experiences insecurity, anger, jealousy, sadness, loneliness, and more. Learn to be honest with one another about it! Don’t think that just because you’re apart you have to be strong and happy all the time. Being honest with your feelings is a good way to show them that you're struggling too.
11. Know each others schedules
Sometimes knowing what each person is up to makes it feel like they aren’t that far away. It will also help you identify the busy times in each others day. This will personally help you more because it will let you know when you can get some busy work done just in case you want to make time for them later! Learning to fit that person into your schedule is definitely a must if you want to make the relationship work!
