Now, I wouldn’t call myself an expert or anything. My long distance relationship, although we were both very committed and devoted to making it work, turned out to be not-so-successful. I’m still working on it. Either way, I have a few tips that I’ve learned along the way that will help with keeping the relationship alive and thriving.
1. Make time for the other person.
Everyone has a busy schedule. There are work lives, social lives, hobbies, health, etc. It isn’t realistic to think you will talk to your significant other 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just make sure that you space out some time for them in your schedule. If you narrow it down to specific times and days, it will become a routine.
2. Texting is not enough.
In order to maintain a healthy LDR, you can’t just rely on text messaging to get you through. Phone calls are important. Skype calls are even more important. Getting to actually look at the person you’re talking to is something you’ll come to cherish. What’s even better about Skype dates is that you can actually do something - like both go for a walk through different parks while video-chatting. Or a movie date! It makes for much more interesting time together.
3. Don't cancel on them.
I understand you are a spontaneous person who likes to do things without planning sometimes. But understand that you are committed to someone who is miles and miles away. Canceling on them is not an option. It will ruin the trust you have in each other. As stated earlier, routine is important.
4. Don’t be mad at them if they’re busy.
Say you’re laying around on a lazy Sunday doing nothing, and you decide that it might be a good time for you to call your other half. If it turns out they’re in the middle of something - whether it be important like working on a school project, or something on a lower scale like hanging out with their friends - don’t take it to heart. You can’t be angry with someone for living their life. This is why routine is everything. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t call them randomly sometimes if you feel like it. I’m sure there will be times where you’ll both randomly end up having free time simultaneously - and that’s great. Just don’t expect it to happen that way every time.
5. Always say good morning and goodnight.
Whether it’s in a simple text or a short phone call, make sure you always start and end your day with them. It shows them that you are thinking of them, despite how busy your day was. It makes them feel cared for, and not forgotten even though they are far away. It makes the distance seem just a little bit smaller.
If you follow these five tips, and something still goes wrong… it’s not me, it’s you. Just kidding. Sometimes people just aren’t meant to be together. But if you are meant to be, these tips will help show your partner that love is always stronger than distance.
