Coping with Long Distance Relationships

It has been said that nothing can come between two hearts that are united. That may be true, but at the risk of sounding unromantic, long distances can certainly make Cupid's job a difficult one.

That being said, I firmly believe long distance relationships can work. Why? Well, I happened to be in one for over six months. As is often the case these days, I met a girl on the internet who lived several states away. We soon began calling each other every night and talking for hours. Before long, she flew out for a week-long visit. That started a pattern of us alternately flying out to see the other person every month. In between visits, we had only the phone calls and pictures to sustain us.

One recommendation for anyone who is thinking about a long distance relationship is this: make sure you can afford it. You will most definitely need a good long-distance plan with your phone service; most cell-phone companies offer this at a minimal rate. My girlfriend and I also texted quite a bit, so if you are into that, make sure your calling plan includes enough free texts, too. Be prepared to spend a lot more time on the phone than you would otherwise; as I mentioned above, for me it was a multi-hour commitment every day.

If you are able to take the time off to go see your significant other regularly, the airfare can really add up. Just use common sense and plan your trips well in advance so you can get the cheapest fares on tickets. Make sure you can afford to miss work, school, or whatever other commitments you might have. If you are really flying quite a bit for an extended amount of time, you might want to look into a frequent flier plan.