TIPS FOR MAINTAINING A LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP

By R.Greene
Long distance relationships can be very difficult to maintain. However, there are some simple things you can do to help ease the distance between you!
 
Communicate frequently. Try to talk on the telephone at least several times a week. You may want to look into a phone plan or calling cards to make this less expensive; shop around and you might be surprised at the rates you can find! Or, you can always try an internet service, like Skype!
Talk about everything, the good and the bad. Talk about what you each did today, even mundane details like what you had for lunch. It’s exactly these details that will help the distance feel smaller.
Be completely open and honest. Don’t hide anything from each other, as this will inevitably cause trust issues down the road!
Write love letters. Having a good old fashioned pen-and-paper letter in your hands, in your sweetie’s handwriting, is a thing of great comfort. And you can read it over and over again, whenever you need a little lift!
Send care packages as well. Fill it with books they like or their favorite cookies. (Can’t bake? Store-bought work too; it’s the thought that counts!)
Make sure you send lots of photos, whether by mail or by e-mail. Seeing your loved one’s face will be priceless on your bad days!
If you both have internet access and the telephone isn’t a convenient option, try using a chat service like MSN Messenger to talk.
Make sure you have someone locally who is a close enough friend to talk to. When you can’t get a hold of your sweetie, it is important to still have someone to talk to!
Take every opportunity to visit, even for the briefest amount of time! Having your arms around each other will help give you the rekindled connection you need to keep on going!
And remember, they say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but it’s still a lot of work! You have to put effort into a long-distance relationship every day, even more so than a face-to-face relationship.  If you keep working at it, have good communication, and are open and honest, your relationship should thrive, even with physical separation!