Long-distance relationships are challenging to say the least, but they’re even more difficult when you’re in college. Hormones are running high, you’re constantly meeting new people, and there are so many opportunities to enjoy yourself.
There are many sacrifices you have to make, because your relationship is worth it. However, it’s important to be careful, you don’t want to stop living or enjoying your life either. Today, we will discuss how to deal with long-distance relationships in college and give you a few helpful tips.
The best tips to deal with long-distance relationships in college:
1- Revise your ground rules:
If you’re in a long-distance relationship, it means that you trust your partner and they trust you. After all, trust is key in this kind of relationship. However, when you’re both going off to college, it’s important to redefine each other’s boundaries and revisit your ground rules.
College is an entirely different environment, so the context will be different for both of you. Revising your ground rules and adding new ones as you see fit is very important. So, have a proper chat about it, and don’t leave anything up in the air. Make sure you’re both clear on your expectations and find a middle ground.
2- Don’t neglect your studies:
When you’re in college, you have very important goals you need to work towards. That means you have to prioritize studies without neglecting your relationship and vice versa. You’re in college, which can get stressful very quickly, so make sure to keep up with your responsibilities.
You must be both on the same page about this. You won’t have as much free time as before and you won’t always be able to get on long phone calls until 4 am. Things will change while you’re in college because priorities will change, but you can make it work if you both understand that going in.
3- Create a schedule:
Scheduling your relationship may not seem like the most romantic thing in the world, but it will allow you both to stay in touch and feel connected while still doing well in college. In long-distance relationships, scheduling is essential and it’s the best way to bond more and make plans.
Scheduling calls will help you strike a good balance and it eliminates the uncertainty of never knowing when you’ll both be available to have a proper chat. Compare schedules and find time slots where you’re both free for a call to tell each other about your day and just talk without any interruptions.
4- Make plans to see each other in person:
One of the things that shouldn’t change when you’re in a long-distance relationship in college is planning visits. How often you can see each other will depend on how far away you are, the kind of transportation you can afford, and your schedule in college.
However, you both need to make the effort. If you can see each other quite often, it will stop you from missing one another more and not being able to function. If you can’t see each other often, plan a long visit once in a blue moon that will make the wait worth it. The time you spend away from each other will still be difficult, but knowing that you have a long visit coming up is always nice.
5- Be as transparent as possible:
Telling each other everything is very important to maintain trust in a long-distance relationship. Especially when you’re in college and you’re having all kinds of new experiences. You’re also meeting a lot of different people, so it’s important to tell your partner about it.
More importantly, you need to be transparent about the things that bother you. Bottling those things up is never a good idea. Why? Because they will build up and lead to a big argument. Communicate openly and honestly, and give your partner the chance to explain or provide the reassurance you need.
6- Encourage each other to enjoy college life:
Just because you’re in a long-distance relationship doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy college life. You want to be happy and you want your partner to be happy as well. So, you must encourage each other to enjoy college life, seek new experiences, get out of your comfort zone, and have fun.
If you trust each other, there’s no reason for you or your partner to deny things to yourselves. Having your own experiences will allow you both to grow as people, learn new things about yourselves, and you’ll have a lot more to talk about when you get on calls or see each other. As long as you both respect the ground rules and boundaries of the relationship, your relationship will be fine.
Conclusion:
Long-distance relationships are difficult, but they can also be incredibly worthwhile if you’re both equally committed to making it work.
Being in college will make things a bit trickier, but hey, it can still be a good time! You can also check this article out for signs of a long-distance relationship break-up just in case you sensed a change in your partner.