10 facts about long-distance relationship you didn’t know

A long-distance relationship is not for everyone. For some people, it is a way to avoid commitment; others are in it because they have no choice since the love of their life is living miles away from them.

Making a long-distance relationship work takes a lot of commitment and effort. Thankfully, it is easier now to pull off due to technology. Gone are the days when you had to wait for a mail that took days and months to be delivered. Long-distance calls are no longer luxury, instant messaging like chats and direct messaging are easily available on social media. There is no better time to enjoy a long-distance relationship than in the 21st century.

Table of Content hide 1What is long-distance relationship? 2Facts about long-distance relationships 2.1Long-distance relationships can improve communication 2.2Your feelings may be all over the place 2.3Adjusting to a long-distance relationship is easier for women 2.4Time is your enemy 2.5You can be as happy as those who are not in long-distance relationships 2.6You’ll find creative ways to fill your time 2.7You see your partner as perfect 2.8It is expensive 2.9Your trust in your partner becomes stronger 2.10Breakups happen when long-distance relationship partners reunite 3Why long-distance relationships don’t work 3.1It is expensive 3.2Lack of trust 3.3Resolving conflict is difficult 3.4Views and goals change 3.5Emotional ups and downs 3.6Time is not enough 3.7You won’t know your partner as much as you want to 3.8Intimacy is a problem 3.9Uncertain future 3.10Prelude to breakup 4How to make long-distance relationships work

What is long-distance relationship?

A long-distance relationship (LDR) is a romantic relationship between two people who live in separate geographical areas. It is an intimate bond between two people who cannot be physically together due to distance. Long-distance relationship is particularly common among university students where one partner is studying while the other is either a student in another school or working class in a different location.

Facts about long-distance relationships

Here are 10 facts about long-distance relationships you may not know:

Long-distance relationships can improve communication

According to a study on HuffPost, men and women in long-distance relationships were more likely to share meaningful thoughts and feelings than those who were not. With different platforms like SMS, chats, video calls, and phone calls, communication is easy, and couples are more comfortable sharing things despite the distance.

Your feelings may be all over the place

One day, you’re totally fine with being alone. Then another day, you’re down with crushing loneliness that makes you question if your long-distance relationship is worth it. In other words, there are good days and bad days in a long-distance relationship where you battle between happiness and loneliness because your partner is not around.

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Adjusting to a long-distance relationship is easier for women

A 1994 study cited by Inspiring Tips has shown that women adjust to long-distance relationships more easily than men. The same could be said in breakups, especially if the women initiated it. Women also have more control of their feelings, while men sometimes find it difficult to recognise how they feel.

Time is your enemy

Time is not enough when you are together with your partner. You’ll plan all these beautiful romantic moments as soon as you’re together, but there is simply not enough time to do them all. Once you’re apart, you’ll keep checking your clock and calendar to know when you guys will create time to be together again.

You can be as happy as those who are not in long-distance relationships

Being in a long-distance relationship does not hinder you and your partner from being happy. As long as you know how to adjust perfectly, you can enjoy the relationship like other people who are not in long-distance relationships.

You’ll find creative ways to fill your time

When your partner is unavailable for romantic moments, you’ll be forced to find creative ways to fill your time, or you’ll sink into loneliness. You will develop a hobby, make new friends, and cheat on your partner if you’re not careful. It’s tempting to cheat on your partner, but please don’t do it. Instead, focus on learning new skills so you can show your partner when they show up.

You see your partner as perfect

Since you guys meet once in a while, it is easy to imagine your partner as a perfect human being. Your short time together may not be enough to see unpleasant things about your partner, like not doing the laundry for months or keeping a dirty house. So you picture him or her as this perfect person. It will shock you when you discover the opposite.

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It is expensive

Yes, because you will spend a lot of money on airtime and data. Furthermore, you’ll also spend money planning a visit. You’ll also spend money sending a gift through courier services. A long-distance relationship will not only test your love and commitment, it will also test your pockets.

Your trust in your partner becomes stronger

Once you get over not being with your partner all the time, jealousy will be a thing of the past for you. You grow absolutely confident in your partner and yourself.

Breakups happen when long-distance relationship partners reunite

You’re used to being on your own despite being in a relationship. So when you eventually reunite with your partner, you’ll realise you both have different changes in views and goals in life. Couples who are not in long-distance relationships are used to being around one another, but not you who are used to being alone. It’s difficult to adjust to your partner being in your face all the time. When you can no longer take it, you break up.

Why long-distance relationships don’t work

No relationship is easy. Long-distance, in particular, is difficult to maintain. Here are 10 reasons why they don’t work:

It is expensive

If you don’t have money, long-distance relationship is not for you. You will spend money, sometimes beyond your budget, from planning to visit to constantly buying airtime and internet data bundle.

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Lack of trust

As much as it is possible to develop trust in your partner over time, it is also possible to not trust your partner at all. You’re not there with them, so you can’t tell what they are getting themselves into. You’ll keep wondering if you’re making it easy for them to cheat on you.

Resolving conflict is difficult

You can easily resolve your conflict when you’re face to face with your partner. But when you guys live apart, you may not make serious efforts to work things out. You keep postponing issues until they escalate into something more catastrophic for your relationship.

Views and goals change

Over time, you will realise you both want different things. This usually happens when you’re left with figuring out life on your own without your partner due to distance. You begin to grow in different directions and may not realise it until later in your relationship.

Emotional ups and downs

Being in a long-distance relationship means you enjoy a lot of personal space. But it also means you will be lonely. On the one hand, you will be happy, and another hand, you’re not. You wish you had someone to cuddle and hold you.

Time is not enough

We’ve discussed this in the previous segment. Time is the enemy of long-distance relationships. As a couple, you need to spend enough time together. But it’s often not the case with long-distance relationships.

You won’t know your partner as much as you want to

You don’t see each other’s daily lives, so you can’t really tell what your partner is really like. If they like leaving the toilet seat open, press the toothpaste from the middle instead of the bottom, keep dirty laundry and dishes for a long time, etc. Missing these small details about your partner due to distance can ruin your relationship.

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Intimacy is a problem

Communicating through digital platforms has its limits. There’s nothing better than physically being with your partner. It will create a stronger bond between you two. But long-distance relationships won’t allow it, leading to emotional distance.

Uncertain future

Due to distance, you guys may not have time or see the need to plan your future together. Also, there is no guarantee that your partner would want to leave their base to move in with you and vice versa. This can pose a serious problem in your relationship.

Prelude to breakup

You’ve tried your best to make your long-distance relationship work through writing letters, making calls, text messages, DMs, chats, etc. But nothing seems to work. Then you subconsciously prepare yourself for a breakup. You start detaching from your partner. The calls and messages gradually reduce, and you’ve moved on without them before you know it.

How to make long-distance relationships work

• Take advantage of technology to improve your communication.
• Manage your expectations. This means being clear about what you want from the long-distance relationship.
• Talk dirty to each other to improve intimacy.
• Play together often. There are fantastic online games you can play together.
• Have shared experiences like reading the same books, watching the same movies, shows, sports, etc.
• Visit as often as possible.
• Hang out with friends and family to reduce loneliness.
• Avoid dangerous places that might tempt you to cheat.
• Know each other’s schedules.
• Be honest with each other.
• Compliment each other often. You can develop pet names for each other.
• Give daily updates about your activities.
• Send surprise gifts from time to time.

Above all, stay positive about your relationship. It will work out if you make these efforts. If not, know that you’ve tried.

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