A Girl's Survival Guide

Long Distance Friendships / Relationships

What a long title. Well, I suppose that it's the only way to convey what's in the chapter. I would hope that I know what I'm talking about when it comes to long distance relationships, seeing as though I've been dating my boyfriend of two years that way, along with a friend for three years or so.

So here are a few things that won't guarantee your friendship will survive, but it sure will give it a greater chance. NOTE: Not all of these things are built for every relationship based on the simple fact that every relationship is different. So these are basically what I try to do to build a good foundation for the relationship to survive the distance.

~Skype / FaceTime~
Honestly, how could you expect a relationship to survive distance without a face to face conversation? Well... as close as you could get. Guys, my boyfriend and I Skype for about an hour every night, that way we can have an actual conversation.

The only downfall to Skyping or FaceTiming is that sometimes because of the way the human mind works, people come to the conclusion that they need to talk more. Just because y'all can't see each other in person does not mean that there needs to be an excess of communication.

Picture it like this. If the person you're in a relationship / friendship with was at your school, and you had one class period with them, would you really need to Skype them at home? Chances are you've answered no. Therefore an hour of Skyping will suffice, but even that can become overwhelming.

See, long distance relationships require a lot of balance. There needs to be days when y'all have time for yourselves, and days where y'all talk. So don't be afraid to tell your friend / partner that you don't want to Skype that night, and don't be afraid to say that you missed them and want to Skype.

~Do Similar Things~
Recommend T.V. shows, books, movies, and games to each other so that you can have a basis for conversation if you feel like you guys have run out of things to say. Doing those things can also connect you guys closer together for the fact that you two are bonding over similar things.

~Try to Know Their Schedule~
Knowing when they're at school, work, or practice can really help in the long run. You won't distract them or stress yourself out by wondering why they're not responding.

~Try to Visit if Possible~
Isn't that kinda self-explanatory? If it isn't possible to visit, try to do video calls like I stated in a previous tip.

~Do Not Let Your World Revolve Around Your Partner / Friend~
You have a life. You have family and friends that are with you where you live. I'm sorry to say it but you can not let your life revolve around this person. It'll affect your friends and family slowly but surely.

~Gift Each Other~
Recently for two year's with my boyfriend, I shipped him a long distance relationship care package. I wanted to revolve it around a theme, one of which I found on Pinterest. Movie themed. Therefore I included popcorn holders, movies, candy, and movie themed merchandise. There's plenty of other themes to choose from, and since it was two years I really wanted to make it special. So I spent about $50 on this total, but don't feel the need to spend that much.

Of course there's other present options for long distance relationships. I also got my boyfriend Open When letters, also found on Pinterest. They're small little letters that have special meaning to what they contain. A few examples are open when you miss me, you're sad, angry, can't sleep, etc.

~Update Them on Your Family and Friends~
Gossip. Gossip makes good conversation.

I know I missed some more things that could help, but these are mainly what I use. So please, if you have any other questions or specific things you might need to talk to about, please please please comment or private message me.

Question of the Chapter:
Cake or pie?

My Answer:
Cake.

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