Friday, July 23, 2010

Guest Post: Breana


Hey guys!  I'm going to spend another few days enjoying my vacation and don't you worry, I'l be back to tell you all about it.  But in the meantime, I wanted to give you all some very interesting reading material.

Breana writes for a College Grant website and provides many great useful tips for teens getting ready to embark on this journey and all of the changes that come along with it.

Since I have a found place in my heart for preparing students for the real world, I thought this opportunity would be quite fitting.

So without further ado, take it away Breana!



How to Deal with a Long Distance Relationship

Let’s face it, relationships are hard, and that’s when the two of you are able to see each other on a daily (or close to it) basis. Putting miles and miles between the two of your certainly isn’t going to make things any easier. Are long distance relationships tough? Yes. Are they impossible? Certainly not. Fortunately, the age of technological advancement has made being with the one you love, without actually being with them, easy and-most importantly-fairly cheap.
Cell phones and text messages mean that you too will never be far from contact, and can still share thoughts and messages quickly and easily. This goes a long way, as constant contact is crucial to maintaining a strenuous long distance relationship. Even for two people with busy schedules, it only takes a moment to hammer out a quick “how r u doing?” or a “thinkin bout u” text, that will let the other know that while they may be far from your location, you are not far from their thoughts. E-mail accessible phones are another great way to share longer, more detailed messages, as well as pictures and other files. But for a serious relationship, sounds and typed out words are not enough. Luckily, technology has us covered yet again.
Skype, as well as some of its successors, provide a free downloadable program that allows one to not only talk to their significant other, but to see them , provided both parties have access to an internet connection and a webcam (most laptops nowadays come with a built-in webcam, just another marvel of modern technology.) While talking and texting is great, nothing can compare to seeing a smiling face and being able to read emotions which are often lost in the more impersonal mediums of communication.  While Skype is a leg-up on texting, it still does not provide the physical comfort and contact that is so crucial to a relationship.
Visits are a must, and should be made as often as your schedules allow. But it’s not the quantity of visits that keep the long-distance relationship humming along, but the quality. Although it may be tempting to close the blinds, turn off the phone, and simply lounge together for as long as humanly possible, what really keeps a relationship off of life support are the activities and memories you make during your visits. Go out. Explore each other’s place of living, hit up the local gems as well as the hokey tourist attractions. Take pictures. There is always time for snuggling by the fire once the sun goes down.
There is one thing that technology cannot give us, and that is the single, absolute, most important factor for the survival of any long distance relationship: trust.  Without trust, all the visits and webcam chats in the world cannot help your relationship. Give your partner their space; don’t feel slighted if they don’t text you every five minutes. This is a good chance to see how strong your trust for each other really is. It may be a trial, but if you can stand your separation, it is a good sign that your relationship will last once you are back in close proximity.


Breana Orland is a writer for Grants for College. Breana also gives advice on the pursuit of higher education and career options for young adults.

Thanks Breana!  What a great article.  During my first year of college, Toly and I actually had to pursue a long distance relationship and I truly believe it only made us stronger!

Have any of you ever been in a Long Distance Relationship?  How did you deal? 
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4 comments:

  1. I had a long distance relationship very recently and it ended in the gutter. I think there was a trust issue and that caused some problems. I couldn't deal with the constant "checking up" and clinginess. I think they can work, but you really have to make it work. I tried, but I guess it wasn't enough.

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  2. My sister was in a long distance relationship for two years. It was hard, but they worked through a lot of trust issues and are now getting married next summer. I hope you have a wonderful vacation weekend!

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  3. Glad you're enjoying your vacay, lady! Live it up :-)

    Almost ALL of my relationships have been long distance at some point or other, and even know, because A tours a lot, we make it work by using iChat, talking on the phone, and reading the same book.

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  4. I got out of a long distance relationship a couple of months ago. It was rough. We just texted to the point that when we were physically together, we couldn't really talk to each other! We would rather just text our feelings to each other if we were sitting right next to each other. :/

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