If one or both partners move, can their relationship last? I think yes. Distance doesn’t make a relationship more likely to fail; it just puts a relationship to the test and forces both partners to develop their emotional, vulnerability, and communication skills. My opinion is for anyone whose partner is moving away is to at least try. If you grow apart and break up, then nothing worse is happening compared to breaking up in the first place. And if there is a possibility for you to be together again in the short or medium term future, then you and your partner have something to look forward to! Your time apart will make the memories you make when together even more special.

Courtesy of Pexels
Courtesy of Pexels

I am in what I consider to be a “mid-distance” relationship. It’s a long enough distance that we can only see each other on occasional weekends when our schedules line up and we can carve out enough time to drive to each other. Most of the time, I hate it and wish we could live closer together. When I’ve had a hard day, I end up feeling pretty alone and wish for nothing more than to have the support of my significant other. But I value the times when I get to see my partner so much more than I did when we could hang out all the time. What’s worked for me is creating a solid structure of times that we can call each other daily. Additionally, instead of texting throughout the day, I like writing down things that I want to share with my partner so I can verbally tell them. This makes me feel like less of a pen pal, and more of a person present in my partner’s life. 

I know I would be glued to my partner‘s hip if we went to the same schools, so our distance forces me to prioritize my friendships, which is especially important as college is a time to meet new people. So while long distance does suck, they’re not a sure-fire reason to break off your relationship and they can help you grow both as an individual and as a partner.