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Maintaining a long-distance relationship can be tough.
If you’re willing to put in just a little time and effort, it can be so worth it.
Find comfort in the fact that long-distance relationships work and you are not alone.
With the current world crisis, more and more couples are finding themselves in a long-distance relationship so don’t feel like you’re alone.
A little backstory on my relationship…
My boyfriend and I met on a Birthright trip to Israel. He was one of the soldiers on the trip and I was staffing. After just four short days of knowing one another, I decided to extend my trip and get to know him better. After spending some time in Israel, he flew to the US just one day after me to continue our love story.
This happened in January of 2020.
Due to the current crisis, we decided it would be best for him to fly back home to Israel to be with family and I would remain in the US leaving us with a long-distance relationship.
We were apart for a total of seven months.
Was it hard? Absolutely!
Can a long-distance relationship work? 100% and it can help you two grow stronger as a couple.
Love ALWAYS wins, there is a silver lining, and it will make you stronger than ever before.
I have a few tips to help keep your spirit and the sparks between you two alive.
If you’re about to embark on this journey, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- It will be hard – I’m not here to sugarcoat anything. Grab yourself a support team for those days you’re just feeling ‘meh’ and need to vent.
- Show up even if you feel like you don’t want to – If they call, answer. If they FaceTime, answer. It can be brief but show up for your partner during this long-distance relationship. Show them that you will always be there for them, even if you’re not physically together.
- Even while apart, find ways to be together – Plan date nights, and get creative. Below I have 13 creative date night ideas for a long distant relationship ↓↓↓
- Have a goal in mind of when you two will be meeting – It makes it a little easier knowing you have ‘X’ amount of days until you meet. Research shows that a long-distance relationship is more satisfying and less stressful when couples know the situation is temporary, according to psychology today.
- Enjoy the alone time you have and spend more time with friends and family – Get to know yourself more, take on hobbies, and make memories with your family and friends. These are also great distractions for you while you’re in a long distance relationship.
“I fell in love with her when we were together, then fell deeper in love with her in the years we were apart.” -Nicholas Sparks
13 Creative long-distance date ideas:
(Bookmark these long-distance date ideas for the next time you and your partner need to switch things up).
Watch a movie or show in sync – My boyfriend and I did this often. It was our version of Netflix & Chill. We started shows together and from time to time picked a random movie to throw in the mix. Love Island was our go-to. It was fun to start and stop the show at the same time and always try to sync the audio.
Wine or Beer tasting – Agree to find the same wine or beer at the store and have a tasting at home. Dress up and set it up as if you’re having a real date night. It sounds silly, but it will be fun.
Wine and Paint – Grab your favorite bottle of wine, set up a canvas, paint, paintbrushes, and you have yourselves a cute paint night. Prop your phone or computer up on the side so you can see each other’s faces.
Order each other take out – Ok, but do you want to make it really fun? Don’t tell your partner what you ordered.
Learn a language – This can be especially important if your partner is living in a different country. Teach each other the language you speak in the country you’re currently living in. If you both speak the same language, learn a new language together. There are apps, videos, and books to guide you through it.
“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.”-Aristotle
Ask deep questions – Think of it as though you’re out on an in-person date, at a restaurant, all dressed up, a glass of wine in hand, music playing in the background…you stare into each other’s eyes and start asking deep, personal questions. There is always something new you can learn about your partner – just ask.
Do a workout together – Load a video together and workout via zoom or FaceTime. It can be an intense aerobic class or simple stretching. Some of my favorite Youtube workouts include:
Have dinner together – This can be cheesy like the movies, but just go for it. Order the same type of food, or make it at home. Set the mood with some candles and soft music in the background. If you’re in different time zones, one can have breakfast while the other is having dinner. Make it work.
Create a dream board – We decided to make ours together on Pinterest, but feel free to make separate ones. We would add things we want to achieve together in the future, what we want our home to look like, family plans, and dream vacations. This is a great way to learn more about your significant other while doing long distance. Sometimes, we would FaceTime and add to our dream board and other times we would add randomly throughout the day.
Send Mail – I love receiving letters by mail so this was a fun little activity. I threw in cute stickers and kissed my cards with red lipstick. 🙂 My partner sent me beautiful cards by mail that have made for great memories. I keep them all in a special box.
Chat with your partner’s friends and family – Every now and then I made sure to chat with my partner in our living room or kitchen. I knew others would be around so it was a great way for them to join in on the conversation. It’s a fun, comfortable way for everyone to chat.
“I exist in two places, here and where you are.” -Margaret Atwood
Send presents – These days it is so easy to send a present. Let your partner know you’re thinking about them with a little gift. Amazon is great for this, but if you are overseas look up what stores deliver gift boxes or little treats.
Play a game – There are so many games to play together while in a long-distance relationship. Here are a few ideas for your long-distance game dates.
- Trivia Night – My partner and I decided to come up with random questions to quiz each other on. Some topics included food, history, art, and animals. It was silly in the beginning, but as we both got into it, it was so much fun!
- Poker – Download the app called Poker Face. It allows you to enter a poker room while still being able to see each other’s faces. You can play with just the two of you or invite other friends to join in on the fun.
- Rummikub App – My partner and I love this game so it was only fitting that we found an app to play. This app doesn’t allow you to see each other’s faces, but you can be on the phone as you play.
Here are a few things to note before you set up for your date according to the women’s health magazine:
- It is important to pick a time during which each couple can be fully present.
- Set the mood by getting dressed up as you would for an IRL date. Dim the lights, light some candles, set the table and even put on some perfume or cologne.
- Finally, they recommend ending each date with a “check-in.” This opens space for your partner to share how they are feeling.
What to do if you’re in a different time zone during your LDR
My long-distance relationship experience was in a +10 hour time zone difference.
I was waking up and my partner was getting ready for bed. It was tricky, but we made it work.
(Read my article here about traveling internationally to move overseas after seven months of a long-distance relationship).
Send lots of pictures and videos throughout your day:
- It’s so much fun to wake up knowing your partner was thinking about you throughout the day.
- The pictures don’t need to be perfect. In fact, candid shots of coffee or sunset views are great.
- Pictures are great conversation starters. It gives you something to talk about.
Talk about your experience with friends and family:
- Sharing your long-distance dates with friends and family is wonderful. Think about it, you’d be doing the same thing after physical dates together.
- Let your friends and family know when you’re having a tough time. Allow them to cheer you up. They will (hopefully) give you great advice and encourage you to keep pushing through.
Switch it up between Audio and Video Calls
- It’s good to change things up
- Sometimes it’s nice to just hear your partner’s voice, and other times it’s nice to see their face.
- Video calls can require a bit more planning and privacy than a phone call.
Do you have any long-distance relationship date ideas?
After seven months of a long-distance relationship, I know how hard it can be. Stay strong and get creative. Leave any questions or comments below.
“The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.”-Charles Dickens
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