The Key to Steadfast Relationships in the Face of a Pandemic
By: Madison Estrella
Tags: Dating, Relationships, Romance, Quarantine, Communication

The Key to Steadfast Relationships in the Face of a Pandemic

Communication enables our loved ones to take a peek into our lives, our minds, and our hearts whether we are together or apart.

“Communication is key” — It’s a common phrase that we constantly hear as the foundation of a good relationship. With relationships being a mutualistic experience, the exchange of ideas, opinions, and life stories that can allow for a more emotional sense of intimacy– one that transcends physical touch. Considering the prevalence of social distancing, emotional intimacy is more important and relevant than ever.

To maintain strong communication, and thus a strong relationship, we have to be open to emotions rather than letting the logistics of our interactions interfere with a genuine human connection. Being vulnerable enough to offer your genuine ideas, opinions, and experiences enables your partner to know you and appreciate you for who you are. Let them know your preferences, your likes and dislikes, and even snippets of your childhood memories because such small details about you can mean a lot to them. Oftentimes, the stories you share can make months of knowing each other feel like years.

“Without communication, there is no relationship. Without respect, there is no love. Without trust, there’s no reason to continue.”– Unknown

Moreover, many people can attest to the incredible feeling of having someone remember even the smallest detail, like your favorite food or even the name of your first pet. It is being able to recall the memories of your loved ones’ as though they’re your own that ignites a newer sense of closeness. Remembering such details oftentimes indicates that you value their experiences, their identity, your relationship, and all the experiences you’ll have together that are yet to come.

Thus, the next most important thing in a relationship is to enjoy the little things about your relationship. When it comes to romance, why not romanticize the heck out of your love life, and your friendships, too? Relish in every single moment you spend with your loved ones so that your life and your relationship feels a lot more valuable and worthwhile. With that being said, appreciate the smallest things you do with your partner and even the small deeds of affection that they do for you. Both the good morning “I love you’s” and the dinner that’s been home cooked by the inferior chef can be the little symbols of romance that can brighten up your life once you recognize all the care and affection that went into it.

While being confined to your abode with your partner, or living apart for several months, might have tested the strength of your relationship, in many ways, we come out much stronger than we have before. In fact, it challenges the ways in which we thought we knew how to communicate with our loved ones.

For those couples who live together, many end up learning new ways to spend your time together, perhaps even picking up new hobbies or date ideas. However, spending so much more together than we are accustomed to can force us to learn how to spend time apart as well. That’s where the importance of setting boundaries comes into play.

Although relationships mean ‘you and your partner,’ it is still important to learn how to maintain your independence and sense of self. Even when cooped up at home with your partner, you have the right to some alone time and it can take the form of video calls with friends or reading a book while your partner does their own thing. With that being said, delineating boundaries is essential for your own wellbeing and thus, the strength of your overall relationship.

And then on the other end of the spectrum, there are lots of couples who have been unable to see one another face to face for the sake of their health and their family’s. But even then, social distancing doesn’t have to cancel all our dates. In fact, for many couples, it has inspired creative and innovative new date ideas, such as the tik-tok famous social-distancing bubble date, rooftop picnics, and more. Looking back, I’m sure you’ll find many new and irreplaceable memories with your partner from the past few months, and just because you’ve spent time apart doesn’t make your bond any less.

“Distance is just a test of how far love can travel.” — Unknown

Relationships and romance are all about experimenting and communicating. While we may be reluctant to admit it, this pandemic helped bring out our inner romantics and creativity when it comes to showing affection. Thus, while quarantine might have kept from seeing our loved ones for too long, or caused us to see them more often, there’s so much we can take away from this (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Amid all those days, months, or years that you’ve known each other, conflict is inevitable to arise. However, it often stems from mis-communication, or the lack thereof, so it is best to minimize conflicts by listening before speaking. Make sure to consider both sides of the story, and then the two of you can talk it out in a conversation before you come to a conclusion. By listening to their opinions in relation to your own, you’ll be better equipped to settle on a solution, if not a compromise. Afterall, relationships are a mutual connection, which means that you can’t come to a solution by listening to only one side.

Regardless, our care for our loved ones is limitless. It bypasses the physical barriers of social distancing and makes its way to our partners through verbal signs of affection both in-person and via video call, through texts, and even through drone deliveries these days. All we need to keep the flame of affection ignited is our genuine love, and then our relationships will be tinted with a new shade of romance each and every day.