73.8 miles, 1 hour and 12 minutes away

A long distance relationships (LDR) is an intimate relationship shared between two people who are far away from each other.  According to "Long Distance Relationship Statistics" on statisticbrain.com, there are 14 million couples who are currently in a long distance relationship.  

If you are honest, trust, and communicate with your significant other, being in a relationship shouldn't be difficult.  Occasionally, there may be a disagreement that leads to an argument, but that should be manageable.  However, even if there is honesty, trust and communication, being in a relationship while being miles apart isn't easy.  I would know because my boyfriend, Jake, and I are one of those 14 million couples.

I thought I would be okay when my boyfriend left for college.  I would busy myself with school and ASB, living my life normally, just without him..  However, there are "things that trigger memories" that cause you to miss your significant other or "randomly cry." (buzzfeed.com)  For me, the topic of college was a trigger, when mentioned, I would instantly become sad.  When we discussed it in AVID, I would put my head down, thinking about him.  It was a constant reminder that he wasn't here when I would see couples walking together, holding hands.  As Jake said goodbye to me on his last day, I attempted to fight back tears, but my emotions won and I sobbed.  When he actually left, I realized that I was not emotionally prepared.

Being in a long distance relationship makes being with each other extremely difficult.  Before, if I was craving Wings N Things or Frozen Yogurt, he would take me out later on that night.  Now that he isn't five minutes away from me, we have to schedule a dinner date for the next time he comes back.  If I told him I was bored and had nothing to do, he would visit me at home.  However, if I ever have free time, I have to hope that he isn't busy so that we can have a FaceTime date.  It's frustrating when a simple activity becomes a hassle.

I live in San Diego while Jake dorms in Irvine.  Although we live in two different cities, Mira Mesa is both of our homes.  One of the best feelings ever is when you finally see your partner back at home, after waiting for what seemed like forever.  I'll admit it, long distance relationships aren't always easy and sometimes you question yourself and your relationship.  Some days are definitely much happier than others, however, there are many days where you want to isolate yourself from the world.  Despite the distance, the love for each other remains the same.  It makes being 73.8 miles or an hour and 12 minutes away, worth it.