Everything you know if you’re in a long distance relationship at uni

Uni is a well known deal breaker for many couples. For those who do stay together it’s make or break. There are many quirks which make the uni experience of a person in a long distance relationship slightly different to that of a single person for more than just the obvious reasons.

Getting ready becomes so much more carefree

Most nights out everyone else would spend hours going through the rituals of shaving every inch of their bodies and plastering on the make up. In a long distance relationship you just don’t care about appearance in the time between visits . Having legs as smooth as a baby’s bottom isn’t an everyday need. No one’s getting up-close and personal so unless it’s visible it’s one less hassle to deal with.

As great as this is though, it often results in a mad rush of grooming and pampering the day before seeing them with razors and fake tan scattered around the bathroom.

Hello, old friends

You become a master detective

You’ll be over-analysing messages and feeling like an FBI agent as you calculate the time between when they last messaged and were last active on Facebook. Your stalking abilities dramatically increase when any new female friend is mentioned or tagged in a picture.

Jealousy is a natural evil, and you can’t help but hate any girl who tries it on with bae or gets a little too close. It’s not you don’t trust him, it just sucks she gets to spend time with him when you can’t.

Train stations become your second home

You end up spending your life on cold platforms, waiting for delayed trains and drinking weak coffee. Not to mention the small fortune you end up spending on train tickets, which end up lying around everywhere.

Packing can also be a nightmare, cramming the contents of your life into a small weekend bag, yet still looking like a carrier horse who’s prepared for every situation. Then there’s the nightmare situation of leaving something important in the wrong city meaning you have to wait until next see them to retrieve it. But it’s all worth it for when you see them again for the first time and you get that electric feeling and adrenaline rush.

All you have to show for a term’s student loan

You get post other than bills

Receiving post  from someone other than the bank or Dominos makes you the envy of all your flatmates. Something as simple as a letter becomes a treasured possession. not to mention the fun of just sending random things.

You are at the mercy of Skype

Skype calls consist of 70 per cent asking if they’re there and dealing with technical difficulties and only 30 per cent actual conversation. Getting through a whole call without being interrupted at least once, with someone wanting to borrow some milk or asking if going out tonight is near impossible. This leaves them staring blankly back at you through computer screen while you deal with the situation.

A rare shot of Skype actually working

Your other half is a tourist attraction when they visit

When they finally manage to come to visit everyone wants to meet them. It’s like they’re a mythical creature. Everyone is amazed to see them in the flesh. People without prompting will give you their approval or explain how they were exactly what expected or not. Not to mention when you finally meet their friends and the slightly strange sensation of putting names to faces. Seeing the Skype background in all your calls come to life is quite a bizarre experience.

No one takes the fact you’re not going to cheat seriously

“They will never know”, “he isn’t here is he?” These are actual things that have been said to me.

Everyone around you seems to think you’re somehow ‘missing out’ by being in a relationship, missing out on waking up next to someone who looked far more attractive 6 pints down and you now have to sit next to for next three years. You soon realise you’re not missing out on much.  You get the fun of going out with the girls without the messy consequences.

Here’s to a drama free night, at least for you anyway

You actually become organised

Weekends will be planned months in advance. Suddenly your term calendar is based whether you’re seeing each other, and when you finally do, packing as much in as possible.

Your conflict resolution skills are amazing

Dealing with arguments over messenger and Skype brings about a whole new array of problems . Messages can be taken the wrong way and things blown up out of proportion, but the distance soon makes you put things into perspective and see that whatever arguing about is insignificant compared to your feelings for each other.

They say distance makes the heart grow fonder. Yes, that is cringe and cheesy af, but you cant deny there is a little truth in this. If you can get through uni then you know there is substance to your relationship and you can get through anything!