sponsored post: how to get through a long distance relationship
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Last year, I spent six months living in one city, while my boyfriend lived in another. We were separated by 659km, very different working hours and the kind of poverty that meant that neither of us could really afford to visit the other as often as we wanted.
Cue crying over Skype, reading Harry Potter back-to-back several times, and eating Mi Goreng and garlic bread for dinner before going to bed at 8pm for months on end.
Here’s the thing about long distance relationships – they suck. It’s really hard being away from someone you love, especially if you’re used to spending a lot of time together. Hell, it’s hard even if you’ve never lived in the same city before – you’re in love and you want to spend your time gazing romantically into each others’ eyes – not frantically looking up cheap airfares and wishing you could somehow fly interstate and back on your lunch break.
Luckily for us modern-day gals, we have the luxury of technology to make the going a bit smoother. I don’t know how couples did long distance pre-internet – I’m guessing they were a lot more patient than I am. All I can say is, if it hadn’t been for technology, I probably would have lost it completely during my stint of long distance.
Instead, here are some of the ways I coped, through the wonders of the internet:
Skype, Skype, Skype
Or you know, use whatever video-chat platform of your choice, but the ability to somewhat continue conversing face-to-face is so important when trying to keep the flame alive during long distance.
The first day I skyped my boyfriend from my new city, and saw him sitting on his familiar bed, with the same painting behind him and the same cream walls, I dissolved into tears. But pretty soon, our nightly Skype sessions were the thing I most looked forward to – a chance to talk, and see each other, and not miss out on the little things (like the hand gestures or quirky facial expressions) that we love about each other.
Email and Facebook are your friends
You know, many people have completely successful relationships through online dating. They meet online, they chat online, they get to know each other that way. Why shouldn’t you be able to keep your current relationship going the same way?
Even if it’s just a link to a funny article, or a quick email to check in on how their night went, Facebook and email can help bridge the gap by providing another means of communication.
I also chose email as my means of arguing with my partner while we were apart. I found that if something was bothering me about our relationship while we weren’t together, the worst thing I could do was try to nut it out over the phone, or even on Skype. It’s too hard, without the option of hugs, and the nuances of facial expressions without the interference of pixels, to stay on topic and get the point across.
Instead, I would write long emails, and we’d go back and forth until the issue was sorted. I swear, email saved our relationship sometimes.
When all else fails, just book a flight
Sometimes, though, all the technology in the world can’t make you feel better about being apart. Sometimes you just want the hug, and the kisses, and the hanging out on the same couch, in the same time zone.
At that point, I would say just book a flight, or hop in your car. It’s ok to want to see each other, even when it’s inconvenient – in fact, it’s downright romantic.
Long distance relationships are never an easy journey, and undoubtedly, once you’re on the other side of it, you’ll look back and wonder how the hell you got through it.
But at least you have Facebook and Skype to help keep the romance alive. Imagine if you had to wait for snail mail – now that would be difficult.
Have you ever been in a long-distance relationship? Any tips to share? Would you ever do it again?
