Long distance relationships can be tricky. It takes a lot of work and sacrifices on both parts to make the relationship last. That is why I drove by myself for over ten hours straight to visit my boyfriend. Before this trip, the most I had ever driven by myself was between one to two hours. Needless to say, I was nervous. However, I made it there and back safe and here are the things I learned along the way.

Save up as much money as you can

While I am lucky enough to have a car that is great on gas, I still needed to pay for other necessities. Before leaving, I had to buy food to take with me in the car, so I was not constantly stopping or eating out the entire time. Also, my boyfriend and I hadn't seen each other in a while so of course we wanted to go out and do things. We took trips to waterfalls and went out to eat. The costs add up fast. I easily spent $500 just on food and gas. Of course, it is not necessary to spend money during a trip like this, it is nice to have the option.

Let your bank know you are travelling

Most times, you only need to let your bank know when you will be out of state. Seeing as I have been all over California and never had a problem with my card working, I didn't see it to be necessary to tell my bank I was travelling within my same state. And everything was smooth sailing for the first three days. However, after I filled up my gas before heading back home on the fourth day, some alert when out to my bank and they shut off my card. Therefore, at my next stop for gas, I couldn't get any gas for my car. I spent probably 30 minutes talking to my bank on the phone, but my card was still not working for the remainder of my drive back. Again, my car was great on gas, so I was just barely able to make the trip back, but I learned to always let my bank know if I travel anywhere.

It is better to overpack than underpack

I cannot tell you how thankful I am for packing more than I needed. I had options of what to wear and what my boyfriend were able to do. If I had underpacked, we probably would not have been able to go hiking. I also had nice clothes for when he wanted to take me out to a nice dinner. On my car ride up, I had plenty of food, water, and blankets that if I broke down, I would have been fine. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Have written directions

There were plenty of areas that I drove through that had no signal. Having written directions of where I was going was super helpful and I found myself looking at them constantly. It was thanks to my wonderful mother that I had these directions with me, and I'm so glad I did. There is nothing worse than having no signal and driving around in an unfamiliar place.

Take breaks periodically

It is so easy for our bodies to get stiff while being cramped up in a car, especially with no one to take over driving. I stopped every 2 hours or so just to get out and walk around. I am a person with pretty bad knees, so I was in some pain while driving. Being able to walk around was really helpful and getting out the kinks in my joints.

Try to keep yourself entertained

It is easy to get bored staring at nothing all day. I made a playlist chalked full of different songs that would keep my energy level up. Dancing around and singing while I was driving kept me sane. I also would call my parents and boyfriend to keep me company when I was lonely.

Coffee is essential

I am not a fan of energy drinks, but I sure love coffee. I had a cup as I left each morning and whenever I felt tired, I would get another cup. Some people have to pee more often when they drink coffee, but that isn't a problem for me. It was also pretty cold out, so it was nice to have a warm drink.

Be careful

The world is a pretty messed up place unfortunately. So, as a young woman I had to be extra cautious. I was by myself and could be seen as a target to predators. That is partially why I kept my stops pretty limited. I would also keep an eye out and didn't talk to anyone when I did stop beside cashiers. I would also always call someone in my family as I was walking around to let them know where I was. Additionally, I had my location shared with my mum. Call me paranoid but people like me get kidnapped, killed, and raped all the time. It is always good to be cautious, especially when you are by yourself in a new place. Having pepper spray, a whistle, or other protection on hand is always a good idea.