Love: Going the Distance

So, you’re in a long-distance relationship, or you’re thinking of starting one, and you ask yourself “How can we make this work?” Well, congratulations, you are now part of the 1.9 million Canadians in a long-distance relationship, according to Statistics Canada. That’s seven per cent of the population! In fact, 31 per cent of relationships aged 20 to 24 are long distance. So fear not, because you are not alone.

After conducting several interviews with people in long-distance relationships, I hope to help you and your special someone understand that this experience is worth it, and that distance really does make the heart grow fonder.

One of the most difficult experiences while in a long-distance relationship is scheduling. This is especially tricky if you have the obstacle of time differences, but maintaining communication and respect is possible.

As a university student, our schedules fluctuate weekly and can, therefore, put a damper on trying to communicate with your special someone. I suggest sectioning off part of your schedule for a daily phone call. Treat it as if it were a lecture, so be present, pay attention, and take notes. Well, maybe don’t take notes, but you get what I’m saying.

Another challenge is intimacy, so let’s talk about sex.

With today’s technology, getting intimate with your far-away lover has never been easier! If you and your partner are into it, sending sexy photos and videos spontaneously or during scheduled sexy time can not only help you and your lover get off, but can also boost your own confidence. In fact, I have a friend and every other week we put on our finest lingerie and help each other with a sexy photoshoot to send to our significant others. This is a fun bonding experience, and has definitely boosted my confidence. Not only is my boyfriend grateful for the pictures, but my friend is supportive throughout the whole experience. The irony is, not having sex often can lead to positive sexual tension and increase the pleasure you feel when you get the chance for some lovemaking.

When you do finally get that visit from your love, take a trip to the local sex store and buy each other fun toys to use the next time you’re apart. This may seem a bit expensive, since a vibrator can be as expensive as $300. However, there are tons of options for under $30 that will hit the spot just right. Plus, going to the sex store is a fun and cute date idea to explore each other’s sensualities and truly appreciate one another in the bedroom.

Another fun idea is, buy a bottle of your perfume or cologne to give to your partner, so they can spray it on a favorite blanket or hoodie and be reminded of you.

There are also certain products available online specifically made for long-distance relationships, but after speaking to some people about this, these products often times end up being cheap and not what they are advertised to be.

Remember that the key elements to any relationship are communication, respect, and trust. So long as you and your partner are willing to put in the effort to this journey, the destination will be wonderful. I hope I have given you some fun and unique ideas to help boost the strength of your long-distance relationship.