Long-distance relationships are not at all ideal. However, sometimes destiny helps you connect with someone really special who might be worth the sacrifices. But before you decide to commit to a long-distance relationship, you should know that it’s not at all like in the movies.
Though it’s great to have found a person who seems to be made for you, long-distance relationships take a huge toll and you need to be aware of the price you have to pay.
Not all relationships work out in the end and we’re not going to sugarcoat it; long-distance relationships suck most of the time. So, here are 5 harsh facts to keep in mind!
5 Harsh facts about long-distance relationships:
1- You spend more time apart:
You spend more time apart than you do together. Read that again. This is obvious, but many people underestimate this fact. If you’re lucky and you can see each other often, you still only get to spend a few days together at most, and then you’re back to missing each other.
That cycle only ends if you move in together at some point, but that’s easier said than done. Either way, you won’t see your partner nearly as often as you’d like, if at all.
Some long-distance relationships are a lot more difficult than others, depending on the distance between you. But the fact remains, you won’t have the luxury of having your partner by your side.
2- It can make you a bit bitter:
Since you can’t see your partner often, you can bet that your exposure to happy couples will increase more than ever. They will be all over your social media, friend group, and life. You will see couples spending time together everywhere you look and it will make you just a bit bitter.
Not to mention it’s incredibly sad to see other people enjoying what you can’t have, which is quality time with your partner. Texting and video calls only go so far.
You will always want to be able to touch, see, and have your partner close to you. That intense feeling of lack is not at all easy to navigate.
3- You won’t know your partner as well as you’d like:
The fact that you’re not present in each other’s daily lives means that both parties miss out on a lot of things. When we get to know someone largely through texts and video calls, there’s a lot that we can’t see. So, as much as you think you know your partner and vice versa, you actually don’t know everything.
Additionally, we idealize partners very easily because we see them through rose-tinted glasses. When you’re in a long-distance relationship, it’s even more difficult to know where your idealization ends and the real person begins. As a result, you’re constantly wondering if you love them or your idea of them and vice versa.
4- Texting is the worst:
It doesn’t matter how much of our time we spend talking to each other through text, the truth is it’s a terrible medium. So many things get lost in translation because your words are left to the interpretation of another person. There’s no way to convey tone via text, not even with emojis.
As a result, communication will suffer quite a bit. Though texting is the most convenient medium when you’re in a long-distance relationship, it can also lead to many misunderstandings and unnecessary issues. Not to mention a lot of your personality and sense of humor won’t get through.
5- It’s so expensive:
No one really talks about it, but being in a long-distance relationship is very expensive.
It doesn’t matter if you live in the same country or not, you will both still have to spend a lot of money to see each other and be present in each other’s lives as much as possible.
Of course, every penny you spend will be worth it because it means you get to see your partner. However, it doesn’t mean you won’t struggle to save money. Especially if you don’t have any kind of financial support and you have to fend for yourself.
Conclusion:
Very few people talk about the downsides of being in a long-distance relationship, but it’s very important to be aware of them. Going in blind will only make you suffer more than you need to.
Nothing can really prepare you for the challenges, but knowing the harsh facts gives you a fuller picture. By far, the most difficult part of being with someone long-distance is that you’ll always feel like you’re missing something.
Even if you don’t usually need a partner to be happy, you will feel lonely simply because you always want your partner to be there and they can’t. Are you ready for the good and the bad?
Check this article out on how not to get too clingy when in a long-distance relationship, as the distance between you can push one or the other to become a little insecure and clingy which would ruin it all!