By Jacqueline Lytle
Where does your significant other live? Is face-to-face the norm in your relationship or does FaceTime delegate how often you see one another? According to The Center for the Study of Long Distance Relationships, research shows that roughly 4.4 million college students are in long distance relationships.
Whether this person is a significant other you’re braving the distance for because you chose different colleges or a college partner who had to step into the real world in a different area after graduation, long distance isn’t the easiest obstacle to manage. Spending some holidays apart can be a challenge — especially Valentine’s Day. Who doesn’t want to show their love and appreciation on a day dedicated to doing so?
My boyfriend is 1,356 miles away in Chicago, and we try to make time each month to see each other, but that doesn’t always work out. Unfortunately, this Valentine’s Day is one we’ll have to spend apart. No worries though. There are plenty of ways to show affection from afar. Here are a few you might try out .
Devise a long-distance date
Classes and work might be keeping you from your significant other this Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy dinner and a movie together. Thank goodness for the technology whizzes that invented platforms like FaceTime and Skype. Set up a time that works for both of you and share a special virtual evening together.
Grab some groceries beforehand and set up Netflix. Give your significant other a FaceTime or Skype call and spend the evening making your favorite meal together and watching a sappy movie while scarfing down homemade dinner. Although this evening won’t include any cuddling, you’re sure to feel like your significant other is right there with you.
Send something sweet
You can’t go wrong with flowers and chocolate. If you want to step it up a notch, chocolate-covered strawberries are often a fan-favorite. Odds are, you’d probably be gifting something to your significant other if you were together on Valentine’s Day, so take advantage of the many delivery services to send those romantic gifts, like From You Flowers or Shari’s Berries. If you sign up to receive the companies’ emails, you can receive deals like 30 percent off or free shipping that can help combat the cost.
Of course, you can send a specific gift, like clothing or perfume, if you know they’d like that better, but chocolate is a hit or hit.
And if dishing out moolah will make your bank account crumble, do not fear. Homemade gifts are just as meaningful, if not more meaningful. Send your babe a handwritten letter that expresses your affection and appreciation. Put together a CD with a bunch of sappy songs that remind you of him or her. If you’re blessed with artistic abilities, create something that represents a memory, like a painting of that time you spent New Year’s with friends in
Fund a flight
I know, I know. You’re “balling on a college budget.” But if your schedule and bank account permit, look into purchasing a flight to see your love bug. If you search enough in advance, you might be able to find a good deal. I’ve never purchased a roundtrip flight to Chicago for over $200. Traveling is all about planning, and according to Time Magazine and the Huffington Post, booking flights 54 days in advance usually results in the cheapest fares.
If you want to skip gifts to ensure the trip is possible, see if your significant other will split the cost with you. One hundred dollars is a smaller hit to the bank than two.
Long distance can be difficult, but it also brings out creativity as you figure out ways to enjoy each holiday “together.” There are so many ways to show you care this Valentine’s Day. Whether you talk on the phone for hours or fly 1,356 miles to see the smile that brightens your day in person, you have the opportunity to make Feb. 14 a holiday to remember.
