Two weeks before practice for the new basketball season was about to begin, the entire team was planning a beach day.
An unofficial team bonding day at its finest, the day and time was arranged perfectly for everyone except myself and a few others. But rather than going to the beach, I chose to stay home. Why? Because I had a virtual date with my girlfriend that I value highly, even over hanging with my boys on the beach. It sucks missing out on things from time to time, but that’s when I realized relationships aren’t about doing what’s easy. They’re about showing up when you really want what’s right for you, even when it may be inconvenient.
Most college students hear the idea of long-distance relationships and completely steer away from it. But is it really as bad as it seems? College often tests relationships when couples attend different schools or they’re separated by a significant distance. Our younger generation attends college looking to have fun and definitely don’t even have a thought of a relationship, let alone a long-distance one.
I was the same. But when I met this person, she was special enough to make these sacrifices.
There are nights I hang up after a short call because I have homework or practice, and it just feels empty as soon as that hangup tone goes off. In the beginning it makes you start questioning if the effort’s even worth it. But then, when you push through those days, you realize that’s what makes it real and keeps you going. It’s not always rainbows and sunshine in the relationship like on Instagram. At the end of the day it’s just two people trying to make it work for the same ultimate end goal.
More often than not, long-distance relationships tend to fail and not work out, whether that is from a lack of trust, communication, or simply just the physical affection itself. Although there are many challenges to it, long-distance relationships can succeed when both partners prioritize trust, communication, and independence.
Being in a relationship where we have built trust and great communication between the two of us has made the whole entire long-distance process as easy is it could possibly be. We’re both living our own lives but growing together while doing it. A mandatory for us is that we are sure to set up our time when we can and can’t talk on the phone and over communicating so there’s never any confusion.
Traveling on roadtrips for basketball, and being in a long-distance relationship had to have been one of the hardest parts for me throughout it all. Being so busy with my sport while on the road, trying to focus on school, and be there for my relationship is not easy. Not impossible though. Basically not being able to hardly ever talk at all for almost a week straight is difficult. But on the bright side, theres that much more to catch up about afterwards.
Getting through the hardest times make the whole distance worth it, and to me that is the beauty of it all. After going through all the tough times apart, coming together is that much easier and far more worthwhile in the end. Rather than having fun stuck in a constant cycle of exploring someone new with no end destination.
Long-distance relationships in college may not be for everyone, but they’re far from impossible. Distance challenges couples to communicate better, appreciate small moments, and grow both individually and together. When going through the process with patience and effort from both sides, it can transform into one of the most rewarding experiences of young adulthood. So rather than fearing the miles and distance between, I’ve come to realize everyone should see long distance as a chance to build something deeper and real, a connection that proves love isn’t limited by location, only strengthened by it.