Long-distance relationships aren’t for the faint of heart

Photo by Dvortygirl, via flickr

Stephanie Piedrahita/Contributing Writer 

I remember meeting plenty of people from out of state at my freshmen orientation and the ongoing conversation throughout it was what it was like back home and who they left behind.

The day you finally move away from your family is hard but expected since we all have to leave the nest eventually and just being at a new school is exciting enough to drive homesickness away for a few months.

When you leave your friends, it’s a shock that you won’t get to hang out until the summer back home, but you can manage. There was one story in particular that grabbed my attention however, about a boy that moved away from New York, a family, a set of friends and a girlfriend.

Being in a relationship and not going to the same school seems ridiculous. Everyone kept asking “Why put yourself through that?” since honestly…why would we? Long distance relationships are not for the faint-hearted.

Most people know of the disadvantages of LDRs, which is why there are very few out there to begin with. Different time zones, lack of physical contact and having to rely on social media to be the crutch of your relationship are some common downsides to all this. Deep down, there could be fears of losing feelings for that person or even the possibility of them finding someone more accessible.

All this plus the pressure of doing well in school, being social and still having time to remain connected to those back home seems like too much. Again, a normal relationship takes effort but a long distance one requires dedication.

This is the deciding factor: Are you dedicated to this person?

You have to ask yourself how serious you are about them and your future. When a couple decides to do this, they are promising to still be together for at least the next few years maybe even consider marriage if it ever gets to that point.

What I am trying to say here is this: Do not be in a long distance relationship if this person is not the one. This is a decision you take if and only if you feel there is no other person in your area that can make you happier than this person does.

In my head it’s as simple as that. Vacations would be more special, months that pass by are months closer to seeing each other and you get excited for the future. Time becomes precious and that’s why you should do it. You have to feel like there are no wasted moments to know that you’re able to do long distance relationships. So, look hard and long at your significant other and think.

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