Tips For Surviving a Long-Distance Relationship
By: Hanna Glassman
Tags: Long Distance, Relationships, Love, Covid Diaries, Romance

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

Due to COVID-19, couples around the world have been forced to either stay together 24/7, or part ways. Some by choice, others by law. Either way, it has been challenging for relationships everywhere.

I can speak from personal experience when I say that being in a long-distance relationship is no easy feat. My boyfriend and I met whilst backpacking in Thailand in 2017. We traveled around Asia for three months together and didn’t want our relationship to end. At that moment in time, we knew our bond was special. Ultimately, we refused to allow distance to be the reason it ended.

After two years, and many international flights later, we decided to quit our jobs, sell our belongings, and backpack together for an entire year. For us, it was not only a lifelong dream to travel, but we managed to find a way to temporarily end our long-distance relationship. We traveled for the entirety of 2019 and returned back to the United States to celebrate the new year with family and friends. Little did we know, a major pandemic would rock the world only a few months later.

Shortly after the news broke, our international relationship, along with millions of others, were put on hold. With his visa set to expire, my boyfriend was forced to fly back to the United Kingdom without me. Since then, our government has placed a temporary travel ban on European visitors entering the United States. They have also put out a level four travel advisory aimed to stop any unnecessary international travel during this time¹. Because of this, we no longer know when we will be able to see each other again. Like so many other couples, we have been forced apart.

Below are some of my biggest tips for couples who are navigating what it means to be in a long-distance relationship during quarantine. For some of us, this may be our first time experiencing distance with a loved one. I am here to reassure you that the old saying, ‘distance makes the heart grow fonder,’ could not be any more true.

Facetime is Your Friend

Just because you can’t be with your partner physically, doesn’t mean you can’t connect with them virtually. The power of social media can be extremely beneficial during this time. Applications such as FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, and Facebook are great ways to virtually connect and check-in with your partner during the quarantine. Technology is a beautiful thing that can make the distance between you feel smaller. With all the extra time you may have in your day, you can work with your partner to schedule chunks of time to connect virtually. It is a great way to see their face and hear their voice during these uncertain times. When you make time to connect virtually, make sure there are no distractions. You want to be respectful of your partner and time together!

Communication is Key:

Although it may seem like a cliche, solid communication is essential for any successful relationship. According to life coach Pricilla Martinez, “communication is key to any relationship in order to ensure both partners are moving in the same direction in terms of commitment, but more importantly to spare one another unnecessary heartache².” In other words, communication is how you and your partner stay on the same page, it prevents conflict from becoming toxic, and it helps your relationship grow.

With miles between you, strong communication is more important than ever. It is imperative to be open and honest with your partner about how you are feeling and what you need out of the relationship. If you keep your frustrations built up and don’t express them in a constructive way, you risk the chance of damaging your relationship.

Talk About the Future:

One aspect that helped us cope with the distance was having an end-date in mind. We almost always had our next visit planned, which gave us something to look forward to. However, due to the current situation, there is now a level of uncertainty looming over us. We don’t know when we will be able to see our loved ones again. That being said, it doesn’t mean you can talk or plan for the future. Try to think of this situation as only temporary. In doing so, you can help alleviate the anxiety that comes from being apart. Discuss where you want to go when this is all over, or plan an epic vacation. It is always good to talk about the things that make you excited for better days ahead.

Plan A Virtual Date:

In this day and age couples have the chance to get creative with virtual date ideas. You can watch the same movies together on Netflix, cook a meal together via FaceTime, you can even set up a virtual dinner. The opportunities are endless. Planning a weekly date is something wonderful to look forward to. Once again, having something physical to put on a calendar and look forward to can create excitement and some level of certainty in these uncertain times.

See This As An Opportunity:

Rather than get upset about the distance, try to consider how this experience can in fact better your relationship in the long run. Although long-distance relationships are difficult, they are true tests for a partnership. If you can get through it, it is likely your relationship has a strong foundation to be successful in the long run.

Not only is this a good time to strengthen your relationship with one another, but it is also a great chance for you to strengthen the relationship you have with yourself. Take this time as an opportunity for self-growth and reflection.

As difficult as it may be, it is important to remember that you are not alone. There are so many couples out there experiencing the same thing you are. Despite being miles apart, there are