Melissa Rosman, Copy Editor
Recently I have been overhearing classmates talking about breaking up with their significant others because their long distance relationships are not working out. As someone who has been dating her boyfriend continuously for the last four and a half years, I feel that I am able to offer a guide to a healthy long distance relationship. Being that I am now a junior, my boyfriend and I have had a little over two years to make our relationship work. Here are the basics:
Honesty: In order to be in a committed relationship, the basis is honesty. To put it simply, don’t lie, don’t sneak around and don’t hide information from each other. If you feel that something is not right, tell your significant other. That brings me to my next tip.
Communication: This is key in any relationship, long distance or not. In today’s day and age it is almost impossible not to keep contact. With social networking sites, video chatting capabilities and cell phones, it should not be a problem staying in touch. Schedule a daily time that you both have available to talk. When communicating, you should talk about your feelings and what is going on in your life. If you’re stressed out, talk about it instead of just taking it out on your significant other. If you’re upset, tell them. In most cases, problems and issues can be solved with communication.
Trust: In a healthy relationship you should share an unspoken trust. You should not have to ‘allow’ your boyfriend/girlfriend to be with their friends. You should trust that they will act appropriately without you around. Trust is an issue in which most college long distance couples deal with. A key aspect of trust is not cheating! When you cheat on your partner, trust is destroyed and may take a long time to reconstruct. If you’re not happy, be honest—don’t be a cheater.
Space: Don’t be too clingy (e.g. texting every minute). Yes, even long distance relationships need space! Enjoy alone time once in a while. This will also allow you to spend more time focusing on your assignments.
Balance: Assuming you’re both in school there should be a mutual understanding that you will have school work to do. Find a balance. This can be tricky but it helps if you schedule time for homework, socializing and talking to your significant other.
Long distance relationships can work; they can even make your bond stronger. Remember that it is a myth that long distance relationships never work out. They are challenging, but 100 percent doable. My best advice is to cherish the weekends and breaks you have together. Also, take advantage of video chatting. It is the best way to be together without being in the same place.
Leave a Reply