So I spend over half the year (if not more) traveling for work. Sometimes I go months at a time without going home (i.e. international placements)! Distance is hard for any relationship!

But Michael and I have managed through and are still going strong~ Distance makes the heart grow fonder?? And while we have the fortunate blessing of seeing each other most weekends, I would still say we have a very virtual-based relationship.

Here is some of our long distance relationship / virtual relationship advice!

Him: You Better Pick up That Phone Call

Sleep is for the weak!!!!! Jk, sleep is super important, but so is making time for the people you love. There are many a night where I am all ready for bed and then I receive “the call.” This is not just a phone call/face time call but the call to be a good bf!

Emily has a crazy work schedule – so it’ll be either late calls at 10PM at night when she’s scared to leave her office, or at 5AM in the morning just to hear her whine as she prepares for her morning meetings. Staying up a little late or waking up early is nothing for me if it’s the only time we really get to talk while we are apart!

+ Her: Stay Busy, Stay Happy

Michael handles my schedule extremely well. I can’t say that for everyone I’ve dated lol. I think the key is both people have to be busy. If one or the other has too much time on their hands, I find that person then gets upset more easily, the clinginess / neediness starts to kick in, and the paranoia / trust issues arise … lol.

Be independent. Stay busy. Spend time with your family. Take care of yourself! It should be that way anyway, whether in a long distance relationship, regular relationship, or if you are single!

+ Him: Support From Afar

Emily is always there to make me feel better even when she isn’t even here! For example, the night before I was leaving for Japan I was so busy making sure I had all the required paper work, tickets, ubers, etc. that I didn’t think about dinner! SO EMILY ORDERED ME FOOD WHILE SHE WAS IN JAPAN (she got me my favorite: BonChon).

It doesn’t always have to be a big gesture. I feel supported even when Emily watches my YouTube videos and just texts me “sick.”

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+ Her: Get Your Ish Done!

You should see the look on my face when I come home on the weekends and Michael is like, “Oh I have to <insert irrelevant task here> today.” Like bro, we are missing a perfectly good beach Saturday when you could have done this M-F while I was at work???

Get all of your work / errands done while you’re apart so that you can spend more fun time when you’re together! That’s a bright side of distance: You have a LOT more free time to tackle all the things you need/want to do because you’re not all up in each other’s space every single day.

+ Him: Let Them Know You’re Thinking Of Them

This one is obvious, but yet I feel many relationships complain about this exact issue. Many times, Emily will literally just text me “hi bro” but then that’s all she says because she’s working – I always laugh when she does this because it’s cute and I know its her way of telling me she is thinking of me.

Also not every conversation has to be an information dump of your day, many of our interactions are small, like: sending memes, tagging each other in cute pics, or that time Emily called me to vent about how The Challenge did CT dirty for literally 1 minute and then she hung up on me LOL. These small acts make the other feel like you want their attention, it’s a feeling I love.

+ Her: Cash Register Gifts

Any small gift, whether homemade or bought, is sweet and shows you were thinking of them and went out of your way even when he/she isn’t with you. Shoot, even if it’s just picking up their favorite gum while you’re checking out at the cash register – it goes a long way!

Some gift ideas:

• Unique snacks (Michael’s favorite gift haha)
• Local accessories (i.e. Jewelry, scarf, charm, keychain, socks)
• Homemade Card / Written Letter
• Something from Etsy, shipped directly to their house
• Fresh Juice / Tea / Smoothie (Emily’s favorite gift!)

+ Him: Do Your Best For Them, Always

I think we all try our best to be ourselves while also going the extra mile to keep your significant other happy. This may mean your significant other is tidy/clean, but you’re not, so now you try a little harder to keep it together. Well, I would say you should STILL try to be that person even when your S/O is not around. It helps you be a better person and it’s extra brownie points when you can call to tell your partner that you picked up some healthy habits because of them. I think relationships are not only about enjoy each other’s company but also about building upon each other.

Thanks everyone for reading!! I hope you enjoyed the post! I asked Michael to write most of it because he is the real rock in this LDR~

See you next Sunday ❤