Coping with Long Distance Relationships

It has been said that nothing can come between two hearts that are united. That may be true, but at the risk of sounding unromantic, long distances can certainly make Cupid's job a difficult one.

That being said, I firmly believe long distance relationships can work. Why? Well, I happened to be in one for over six months. As is often the case these days, I met a girl on the internet who lived several states away. We soon began calling each other every night and talking for hours. Before long, she flew out for a week-long visit. That started a pattern of us alternately flying out to see the other person every month. In between visits, we had only the phone calls and pictures to sustain us.

One recommendation for anyone who is thinking about a long distance relationship is this: make sure you can afford it. You will most definitely need a good long-distance plan with your phone service; most cell-phone companies offer this at a minimal rate. My girlfriend and I also texted quite a bit, so if you are into that, make sure your calling plan includes enough free texts, too. Be prepared to spend a lot more time on the phone than you would otherwise; as I mentioned above, for me it was a multi-hour commitment every day.

If you are able to take the time off to go see your significant other regularly, the airfare can really add up. Just use common sense and plan your trips well in advance so you can get the cheapest fares on tickets. Make sure you can afford to miss work, school, or whatever other commitments you might have. If you are really flying quite a bit for an extended amount of time, you might want to look into a frequent flier plan.

Though this was not a problem for my girlfriend and I, many long distance relationships suffer from jealousy. Because of the separation, one person may start to wonder what the other person is up to when they aren't around, and how much they are really a part of their life. If they are not careful, sometimes these anxious musings may turn to paranoid accusations, and one person is constantly questioning the other's motives and actions. Before you charge your significant other with cheating on you, make sure you haven't fallen prey to unreasonable jealousy.

The bottom line with long distance relationships is that they require just as much responsibility and work as regular relationships, oftentimes more. Don't let anyone fool you: they are definitely harder emotionally sometimes. There will be nights that you will feel really depressed because you don't have anyone to cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie with. But don't despair, eventually you will be reunited with that special person, and then it will all be worth it.