“I want to give this relationship a shot, but it’s important to me that we stay committed and exclusive. Can we do that?” “I’d like to have a weekly date night. Does that work for you?” Make a list of pros and cons to help you sort out your thoughts. Talking to your significant other is easier when you make a plan first.
You don’t need to talk every day or specify exact times. Just make sure you feel good about how often you’re talking, and you know which days you’re both free. Make sure that you’re putting in equal effort to stay in touch. Your significant other shouldn’t do all the work, and neither should you. Be careful about calling or texting too much. The distance can make you feel like you should talk all the time, but sticking to a schedule is easier.
If you both love music, share playlists and get to know each other’s taste in music a little better! If you’re both gaming fans, find an online game that you can play together. You could pick a hobby you both want to learn, like a sport or a new language, and try it out together.
A weekly TV show is perfect for setting up consistent date nights. Stay on the phone while watching together, or text your reactions. Exchange recipes for date night dinners. You can cook together while video calling and share a romantic meal from miles apart.
Think about adding variety to your texts. Send lots of pictures, GIFs, and audio memos alongside regular messages. If you both have apps like Tumblr, Instagram, or Reddit, you can take turns sending each other funny memes and entertaining posts.
Show consistency by calling when you say you will and showing up for virtual dates! Always tell them the truth. If you say you’re spending time with family and they discover you partied with friends, they may question your trustworthiness.
When you’re jealous, tell them how you feel instead of getting angry. “Can we talk? I feel lonely and left out when you reschedule our phone calls to hang out with friends. "
If you have artistic skills, you could send them a drawing, song, or poem that you wrote. Send a care package with their favorite snack—or, if you can bake something yourself, send a homemade treat instead.
Make sure there’s a healthy amount of giving and taking between you. It isn’t fair if one of you is doing all the listening and one is doing all the talking. Both of you should feel loved and supported!
Keep your relationships with family and friends strong. It’s good to have other confidantes besides your significant other! Let your friends know that you’re in a relationship. Your parents should also know, but you may feel more comfortable telling friends first.
Make sure you talk about which of you is doing the traveling or where you’ll both meet up. If you need to save up money for travel, set reasonable goals and make a budget to find out exactly how much you need. Meet up in person when you can, but don’t be discouraged if you’re too far apart or busy to meet as often as you want.
For example, if you’re planning to go away to college, talk to your significant other about how that might affect the relationship. You might decide you want to text less and call more or change your FaceTime schedule. Tell your significant other so you can work together to make changes. Teens dating long-distance have the exciting chance to learn and grow together. Respect your partner’s needs and be honest about yours so you can overcome challenges together!
