Long
distance relationships difficult to
maintain
Krystle Ralston
The last of your bags is packed and ready to go.
“
Going off to College for Dummies” lies beside you in the passenger seat.
Your mom has packed you enough socks and sweaters to last until you’re
50. There you are, ready for a whole new beginning. You look back and see something
you wish you could pack in your suitcases, but it wouldn’t be too comfortable
for him or her: your significant other.
Starting college is a terrifying but at the same time wonderful feeling and even
though none of us will admit it, we miss our families. But what most of us will
own up to is that we miss our boyfriend or girlfriend, one who has chosen a different
path.
Leaving your other half behind can be difficult and painful for both people involved.
There is pressure on both sides to call, text and write letters on a regular
basis. In between classes and jobs, maintaining a relationship from afar takes
time, energy and above all, commitment. I should know. I am currently in one.
I will not sugarcoat it and say that it is easy for me. We see each other once
a month and in between those times we talk on the phone pretty much every day.
The wonders of MySpace.com make it even easier to keep in touch.
But even though our century is technologically equipped to help those far apart
feel closer, it cannot compare with having him right beside me.
Wow, you say. Is this even worth it? I could be spending my time at keggers,
chugging any kind of alcohol handed to me and screwing hot sorority chicks or
baseball players. That sure sounds like a lot less pressure than sitting at home
on the phone with the ol’ ball ‘n’ chain.
But in all honesty, booze and one night stands will not be able to satisfy you
forever. They do not have the ability to comfort you the way your special someone
can.
The phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder” is very cliché but
does apply in this situation. There are some couples that do not have the strength
to handle being away from each other and there are some that do but at the same
time are unsure if they can truly hold it together.
So, instead of just the average daily phone call or text message, get creative.
Send a picture of yourself holding up a sign that says, “Wish you were
here.” E-mail a link that plays a romantic song that lets him or her know
he or she is in your thoughts. Plan to visit on a regular basis, such as once
a week or once a month.
I know we are all starving college students, but if it comes down to spending
an anniversary or birthday apart, send a little something.
And boys, distance does not excuse you of gift duty. Trust me.
Also, a few minor cautions: Do not blow off studying for midterms or writing
papers to talk for hours on the phone with each other. I myself can spend hours
with a cell phone glued to my ear, but I make sure this gluing takes place after
my schoolwork is complete for the day.
Also, do not spend so much time talking that when you finally are in the same
room, there is nothing to talk about. Save the good stuff for when you are face
to face. It will make the visit all the more special and worthwhile.
For the most part, when someone says the term “long-distance relationship,” it
can give off a negative vibe. But it does not have to be this way.
Simply because two people are apart physically does not mean the relationship
is doomed to hell. It is a chance to truly appreciate your better half and for
both parties to realize and understand the reality of true devotion.
Krystle Ralston is a senior journalism major and the calendar editor of
the Daily Forty-Niner.
|
