Creighton University

Students often find themselves in relationships with partners who live far away. This article provides tips for making a long distance romance work.

Are you and your high school sweetheart trying to make it work even though you're going to different schools? Did you meet somebody at a party while you were visiting one of your old high school friends? If so, you are probably trying to find a way to make your long distance relationship (LDR) work. The success of your long distance relationship will depend on you and on your significant other. Some people can do it while others can't. If you're willing to try to make it work, here are ideas that could help you.

Establish Trust

Trust is an important element in any relationship. It's especially important in a long distance relationship because there's often a lingering fear that your significant other might at any minute fall into the arms of another person. However, there are ways for partners to show that they can be trusted. Tell your partner if you're going away for a trip whether it's for a job interview, a game, or club event. If you spontaneously leave without any warning, your partner may wonder who you're spending time with. Keep any phone or online dates that you set up. Being prompt shows your sweetheart that you're just as reliable as ever and encourages the trust that you share with each other.

Make Time for Each Other

Spending time together can be difficult when you're far apart. You may find the awkward moments of silence increasing during phone calls. The text messages, emails, and IMs can start sounding redundant. 'How many times can you ask somebody about his or her day?' will probably cross your mind once or twice. However, it's important to spend time together. If your phone dates are starting to be tedious and boring, try something new to make it interesting again. Try renting the same movie and having a movie date. Both of you could go to beach and talk to each other about the ocean. You could both look at stars together and talk about it. If both of you like to read, buy the same book and read it together. Try anything that will make conversations interesting and make it seem like you're not that far apart.

Be Thoughtful

Being thoughtful involves a variety of things. Send your significant other a love note, leave a message to remind him or her how much you care, or visit them. The gesture doesn't always have to be grand or expensive. The important thing is that it comes from the heart -no matter how cheesy that sounds, its true! Sometimes it can be hard to feel like you're in a real relationship when you're in a long distance relationship because you don't get to see your partner often, so you need to find ways to show your partner how much you care.

Source: Tips for a Long Distance College Relationship