Written By Contributor Writer Kirstyn Shiner
Everyone has heard of the notorious long distance relationship. From songs to TV shows, to books and poetry, long distance is a well-known concept. Everyone always tells you how hard it can be making a long distance relationship work, but I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t all have to be negative.
Long distance isn’t easy by any means. If you really care about the other person, you never stop missing the little things you use to be able to do all the time when they were around, you had a routine and now that routine has come to an end.
New Routine.
The one good thing about this is, you can make a new routine. You are able to do things you couldn’t do before because you didn’t have time, like going to the gym, going out with different groups of people or picking up a new hobby you have always thought about. You get to have a new routine that allows you to grow to become more of the person you want to be, even when you miss that special person.
Learning to Become More Independent.
Not only is more free time a positive thing of long distance, but also gaining more independence can come from not having your significant other around. Whenever someone asks you to go to a party or go out to dinner, you don’t have to think of anyone but yourself, you can make that decision based completely on you and what you want to do. On top of this, you also have more independence over your own body. If you can’t be bothered to save your leg hair then you don’t feel as obligated to since your partner isn’t around (not that there’s any obligation to begin with). Or, if you’re feeling intimate then you can use a glow in the dark vibrator to satisfy yourself no matter what time it is. It is always great to have your partner be with you however it gives you a chance to do things on your own.
Adventures.
Do you think adventures? Just think of all the great things you can do when you and your partner get to visit each other. Let’s say you decide to move to Chicago post graduation, and your significant other decides to take Boston on, think of all the amazing adventures you guys will be able to share between the two cities, and what better person to be doing it with than them.
Everyone knows long distance relationships are not easy. It is more work than a normal relationship. You will miss your other half everyday and that feeling may never really go away, but people aren’t lying when they say that if you can make it through this you can make it through anything. Send love letters, talk on the phone, FaceTime or Skype, this is the 21st century! Communicate and remind each other everyday how much you care about one another, to make things a little easier. Just remember you aren’t they only one going though all of this, the person you miss the most misses you just as much, and just be grateful that you have found something so wonderful that it is worth missing.