A long-distance relationship ain’t easy.

INTO University of East Anglia, shares their tips for preserving the ‘long-distance’ romance, even when bae is thousands of miles away… 

1) Make the most of the opportunity

If you’ve been together for a while, you might be used to certain ways of communicating and expressing your love for each other.

Instead of seeing the distance as an obstacle, try seeing it as a chance to show you feel in new and different ways.

This could be the perfect opportunity for you to get to know each other even better, making your relationship even stronger

2) Be creative

This goes for any relationship, but it counts for much more when it’s long distance! Try writing letters to each other with your innermost thoughts and feelings.

You can include doodles, stickers and even little presents. Or perhaps start a Tumblr or Pinterest where you share your ideas for places you’ll go together, food you’d like to cook for each other – that sort of thing.

3) Have something to look forward to

If you have plans to see each other – even if it’s not for a long time – it will help to remind you both that the distance between you is only temporary.

Don’t panic about making the most of your time together – some couples feel pressured to fit in as many activities as possible whenever they see one another, but you might be happier just relaxing and hanging out together.

But of course, one of the nicest things to do as a couple is to take a holiday together. Why not plan a week away near your study abroad location during the holidays?

4) Do things together

There are lots of apps designed for couples to do things together over the internet. Netflix is a great place to start!

But even without special apps, the opportunities for ‘date nights’ are endless. You could get on Skype and eat dinner with your loved one from halfway across the world!

5) Use your time wisely

Studying abroad is a fantastic opportunity to discover who you are as a person. While it is important to make time for your relationship, this is an ideal opportunity for you to make new friends in a new environment.

Or perhaps use this time to develop your hobbies by joining a university club or society, and then tell your partner all about your new experiences!

6) It’s okay to be sad

You’ll be dealing with a lot of emotions during your study abroad experience, and it can be overwhelming at times. Add to that the feeling of missing your loved ones and you’re bound to feel sad occasionally.

Just know that it’s okay to feel this way! You can talk to your student support team any time about how you’re feeling – and as the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved!

7) Be honest with each other

When you can’t be there for each other in person, it’s especially important to be honest with each other. Make time to talk to each other about how you are feeling, as well as what you are doing in your day-to-day lives.

This will help you to really trust each other, which is the foundation for a long-lasting, healthy long-distance relationship.

Being in a long distance relationship while you’re studying abroad can be tricky, but if you both invest the time and effort then it can be totally worth it.

As the proverb goes: ‘true gold can stand the test of fire’.

For more advice about life studying abroad, check out 7 ways to beat homesickness or find out how Masaad and Dhanal made friends in their first month. 

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