Let’s face it, long distance sucks.
Every time I see a couple on campus holding hands or acting extra cute I look away in disgust because my boyfriend is 200 miles away. But believe it or not, there are some benefits of doing long distance.
You have your space. If you want to go hang out with your girlfriend you don't to worry about making time for your boyfriend. You get the alone time you desire without your significant other breathing down your neck. You can have your own friends, social life and your own life.
Not having him or her around all the time gives you time to have your days off. If you don't want to wear make-up or if you just want to lay in bed all day, no one will stop you. There is no one to judge you if you eat a whole pizza by yourself or binge-watch Netflix all weekend. You can "do you" without having any interference.
Long distance helps you communicate with each other. As easy as it is to ignore my boyfriend’s text messages, the distance makes me miss him and want to talk to him. I actually get to miss him because of the fact that I don't get to see him everyday. You become a master at communication because you become used to the distance. You find ways to spice things up like web chatting or mailing cute things to each other. Even though those phone minutes rack up, it’s worth it.
You become that strong independent woman while simultaneously having a boyfriend. I do not get consumed in my relationship or lose that “spark.” Doing long distance makes me appreciative for all of the things my boyfriend has done for me. I am constantly reminded of why we decided to date in the first place. The distance makes you and him commit to the effort of making it work because it does take two to tango. If you can make long distance work, the fights over the smaller things seem petty.
Did I mention how exciting it is when your significant other comes to visit? It gives you something to look forward too; it also gives you the opportunity to hit all of the restaurants you have been dying to eat at. When he or she visits, it makes the time more valuable. They visited to see you and only you. It is exciting to have a reason to pack up for a weekend and travel; things get more real than the Notebook.
Long-distance relationships are not for everyone. They are full of meaningless arguments, jealously and second guessing if the relationship is even worth it. If two people really want to be together, the distance will not stop them.
Like every relationship, there are ups and downs; it will never be perfect. If I can say anything about being in a long-distance relationship it's that I found a man willing to do the distance for me. The separation has made our relationship stronger, healthier and the more rewarding. So next time you see that sappy couple you despise, just remember how lucky you are to have someone willing to do the distance.
