With the ready availability and relative cheapness of technology today, you might argue that being in a long-distance relationship is easier now than it ever has been before. The internet is a wonderful tool that can be used to make long-distance relationships both easier and more fulfilling and in this Hub I hope to give you some tips that will help you make the most of it.
Most of the advice in this Hub is aimed at someone who has found themselves in a long-distance relationship, for whatever the reason may be, after being in a relationship with their partner for some time and getting to know them well. If that is not the case for you, please remember to stay safe online, for example by not giving out private details or agreeing to meet a stranger in a secluded place. I will go into more details about things you could to keep yourself safe at the end of this Hub.
Although it can be expensive, phoning your partner might be the easiest way if you need to get hold of them in a hurry.
Stay in Contact
As with any relationship, staying in contact is an absolute must. Although this might seem more difficult in a long-distance relationship, it's not really as long as you've both got a good internet connection. The internet is such a great and reliable tool that, although it's obviously not going to be the same as living close to your partner, you might actually feel that you don't live that far away at all. What with Skype, social networking sites and e-mail you'll probably find that you don't miss out on anything at all in your partner's life and when you do get together you spend it doing everyday things rather than catching up on all of the things you've missed.
The wonderful thing about e-mails is that you can send them whenever you want and the other will get them when they check their e-mail account - they don't have to be online at the same as you, which is often the problem with Skype. In any long-distance relationship, time differences will likely be something that you have to contend with, and if you live particularly far away from your partner you might find yourself relying on e-mails rather than Skype.
When you write e-mails to your partner, make sure to include details of things that have been happening in your life so that they feel included and don't feel like you're keeping secrets from them. You should also include comments about incidents they've told you about in their own life so that you seem interested, and remember to tell them that you love them if you do - that's always great to hear.
How would you rate Skype?
Skype
As far as long-distance relationships go, Skype is one of the greatest inventions of all time. Free to download and to install, it's a handy tool that not only allows you to talk to your partner in real time, but to see their face as you do. All that's necessary is for you both to have a good internet connection and Skype downloaded. Skype will also work if you have an internet connection that's less than brilliant but you might find that your call cuts out frequently, or that the video is slow. There are other options similar to Skype which are also free to use, such as the video-calling option social networking sites such as Facebook and Google+ have, but I do honestly believe that Skype is the best for this.
Making cheap calls to house phones is also an option with Skype, which might be something you'd want to consider if your partner does not have an internet connection, or if the internet connection is too poor and the call keeps dropping out.
You can download Skype here.
Stay Safe
Whilst the internet is a wonderful tool for people who already know each and what to stay in close contact despite the distance between them, it can also be used as a way to meet new people. If you think that online dating might be for you then that's great, however it is important to keep yourself safe. Please remember that when you're speaking to someone online, no matter how sincere or convincing they might sound, it's always possible that they're not really who they say they are.
- Please never give out personal details such as your home address, bank details or telephone number online, as no matter how much you think you might trust this person you can't until you actually know them.
- Never meet up with someone you've met online for the first time (or the first few times) by yourself in a secluded location. Always ensure that you're in a public place where others can see you, and take a friend or relative with you if that's possible.
- Try not to get too emotionally involved with someone you just speak to online. Even if they're not lying to you about who they are, they're more than likely only projecting the best parts of their personality, which I'm sure we all do in the start of a relationship, but it's so much easier to do online than what it is in person. As far as you can, try and reserve judgement about what you might think about them or how you might feel about them until you've actually met them, it will more than likely cause you quite a bit of heartache in the future.
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