By: Reiley Bartel, Staff Writer
Sometimes it can be hard to leave behind those that you love, and sometimes it doesn’t work out to leave your boyfriend/girlfriend and have a long distance relationship. These Newman students, however, are making it work, and here is how they do it.
Elie Helfrich, a junior, has a boyfriend who lives two hours away in Oklahoma. She said that on average, they see each other every 2 to3 weeks.
“It’s especially hard to plan trips in the fall because he plays football, so he is busy with practices and games most weekends,'' she said “During his season, I do most of the traveling, which I am happy to do because I love watching him play. Other than that, we take turns making the drive.”
Hannah Mendez, a senior, says, “Facetime is our best friend! We communicate all day and sometimes fall asleep together on Facetime.” Her boyfriend goes to school in Oregon and will be dating for four years in March.
What else makes a relationship work? Mikenna Barcelona, a Junior, says that one of the key parts of making it work are “trusting each other and being loyal.” Her boyfriend goes to school in South Carolina, and they more than likely won’t be able to see each other until Christmas break. They have been together for about three years.
“Trust your partner. Being away from them is a good thing,” she said. “You can both work on yourself and be better for each other.”
It’s not easy having a long distance relationship, says Freshman Eliana Gaytan.,
“I definitely miss the physical, material aspects like being able to get a hug after a long day or share a meal together, but most of all I just miss having time together,” she said. “We went to high school together and were co-captains of the cross country team, so it's been an adjustment of not having one of my best friends with me all day.”
Some advice for long distance relationships:
“Call each other,” Gaytan said. “Minimize texting so that when you do talk over the phone you have more to say. Calling allows you to hear their voice and other reactions, so you connect better.”
“I would encourage couples to spend time with friends and do other things that they are passionate about outside of your relationship,” Helfrich said. “This makes your day-to-day life more full and it makes time pass by more quickly. It is good to be happy on your own and have a purpose that doesn’t involve your boyfriend or girlfriend.”
PHOTO: Courtesy photo, Elise Helfrich
