Maintaining the Long Distance Relationship
Many incoming college students arrive at school already in a relationship with someone from home. When couples decide to stay together when they go to separate colleges, they must juggle their new lives away at school with the ones they left behind back home. This can be a difficult proposition. However, if you are in a relationship that is too good to let go, then you need to work a little harder at maintaining everything you two have worked for.
Keeping the lines of communication open is the most important aspect of the long distance relationship. Luckily, this has never been easier. In the old days, you would have to wait for the one phone in the dorm to become free to call someone. Now, students have cell phones and email to stay in touch with loved ones. Make a plan to talk to each other at a certain time the next day that fits both of your schedules. This sense of continuity will make both of you feel normal. Fortunately, if something comes up, you can always text one another to reschedule your chat.
It is human nature for one or both of you to feel jealous at times. You are both in new situations without each other. If you agree to stay faithful to each other, then you need to share things about your social lives to keep the other person feeling secure. If someone hits on you at a party, tell your partner. If you two are open about what is happening at your schools, then the trust level will only increase.
Make plans to visit each other at your schools. Do not wait until you have a shared semester break. It is important that you travel to see your boyfriend or girlfriend. Make a long weekend stay out of it. This way you can many of his or her new friends and see what they do for fun. Admittedly, this may be a way to see what kind of competition you are facing at his or her new school. And that is okay. Just be sure that you do not make a spectacle of yourself trying to claim your turf. This just is not cool.
Above all else, like with any relationship, trust is essential to the existence of the long distance relationship. You are going to have let go a little bit to allow your partner a chance to grow academically and socially at his or her new school. Do not stifle each other. If you two are meant to be together, then you will find out rather soon in your first semester apart.
Did you enjoy this article?
Leave a Reply