Q. My boyfriend and I have been together all summer. Everything is great, except I have moved from home to attend MSU this fall.
We want to continue our relationship, but I have only heard bad things about long-distance relationships. How can we make sure our relationship will last throughout the school year?
A. The first thing I suggest to making your relationship last is to think positively. Don’t listen to the negative things that people tell you about long-distance relationships. Your relationship doesn’t have to end just because the summer is over.
Whether or not your relationship will continue to work depends on how much effort you put into it. Being apart, while in school, could actually be an obstacle that you have to overcome in the relationship. Even though the road may be bumpy right now, it will make your relationship a smoother ride in the future.
Another helpful thing to do is to set aside time every night to catch up on the day’s events, whether it’s chatting on the net, e-mailing, or even running up your cell phone bill on long-distance charges.
Mail letters or meaningful, memorable items to each other.
You could even make a scrapbook, filled with pictures and items from this summer.
Invite your boyfriend to spend a weekend with you here is Starkville. Take him to a football game, or even show him around campus. While he visits you, include him in on your daily activities. Introduce him to the people in your life that you talk about to him during those nightly chats, whether it’s your roommates or co-workers. If time allows, designate a weekend a month to go back home to see him. Make new memories when you go back home and visit those favorite hang-out spots with your boyfriend to reminisce on old times.
Pretty soon, you may reminisce of the times away from each other and appreciate the times that you do get to be together.
Michelle will answer readers’ questions. E-mail them to [email protected]