Xatal

Long distance relationships are tough, no matter the circumstances. Even the strongest of couples can be brought to an end by spending a short time apart. College long distance relationships are even more difficult, and if you already decided to stay together, you’ll need to watch out for some warning signs that will inevitably cause friction in a long-distance relationship.

1. Jealousy

The biggest one. If you’re jealous of every girl that your boyfriend talks to (or vice versa), then there will always be a lot of background tension in the relationship. In college, you meet a lot of new people of both genders. If you expect your partner to completely shut out the opposite sex, that’s ridiculous and you’ll greatly hinder his or her social life. Being jealous puts you in a bad mood and definitely pushes your partner away.

However, there are definitely times when you need to worry. When you hear about the same person a little too often or you feel like your partner is crossing some line, you should definitely bring it up. Don’t be hostile — be mature and calm, otherwise you may make a bad situation even worse.

2. Too little communication

To keep a relationship alive, you need to remain in touch with each other. Otherwise, you begin to lose that attachment that all relationships need. Try to set aside some time each day (or every other day, whatever works best) to talk to each other and catch up. Talk about your day, talk about your lives, and try to be a couple as much as you can.

3. Too much communication

On the other side of the coin, if you two are talking way too much, you’ll start to get bored with each other and long for some space. Talking often is good, but try to avoid overkill. If the conversation isn’t flowing on its own, don’t be afraid to end it. Too much communication also interferes with your day-to-day life because you end up having to choose between talking to your partner and whatever else you want to do.

I like text messaging a lot — you can reply when it’s convenient, but chances are you won’t text enough that you run out of topics.

4. Cheating

Always a relationship-destroyer, cheating is more common in long distance relationships. It’s easy to become lonely and long for some companionship, and in a moment of weakness have a break down.

Cheating really does come down to a strength of will power, but it can be aggravated by other flaws in the relationship. To avoid losing a relationship to cheating, make sure there aren’t other holes in the relationship.

5. Parting ways in life

At one time, your lives may have been on the same path, but as time and distance work away at you, you will soon find that you now have different goals, interests, and hobbies than you once did. This can hit rather suddenly — one day you’ll realize that you two aren’t who you used to be.

The easiest way to avoid having trouble here is to communicate and to meet up as frequently as possible.

Are long distance relationships possible?

Long distance relationships are hard as hell, but if you’re involved with somebody you care about greatly, it’s worth it if you can hang in there. The odds are stacked against you, but by working as a couple — NOT as an individual — it’s definitely possible to stay strong together.