It can feel like forever when you are in a long-distance relationship. You’re constantly waiting to see your partner again, working around each other’s packed schedules and planning visits whenever you can. But this situation is not forever. If your long-distance relationship is due to having school or jobs in different areas, it may take a few years before you can live together again, but you’ll get there. In the meantime, you need to take good care of your relationship while you and your partner are apart. It’s incredibly important that both parties put effort into the relationship, despite it being long-distance, or things will become one-sided very quickly.

Communicate daily

Even if you are both busy people, you need to find time to call your partner or send a few quick texts just asking how his or her day was. It’s very important to keep in contact to ensure you’re up-to-date with everything happening in their lives, what they are dealing with, what project they’re working on, etc.. You’re still a huge part of your partner’s life, so you still need to talk to them as if you were right there next to them.

Communicating daily also allows you to air out any issues you’re having with the relationship and gives you both the opportunity to gripe about the distance when necessary. Never let issues build up because they can become detrimental to the relationship in the long run. Tell your partner if you think they need to communicate or visit more. Don’t just expect them to pick up on your subtle hints. The only way problems can be fixed is if they are addressed.

Find time for visits

Take turns when you can, but if you one of you has the opportunity to travel to the other for the weekend, do it. There’s nothing better than seeing your partner again to reaffirm to yourself how much you love them and how this whole long-distance dating thing is worth it. Plan something fun for the visit, and make sure you’re still going on dates every now and then to keep the magic alive. It’s tempting to just want to lay together on the couch and cuddle every time you visit one another, which is still okay, but going on dates and doing activities will make for better memories when you think back to your long-distance dating days.

Plan your future together

Don’t push deadlines or act like reuniting is a far-off dream. You need to actually plan for it to make it real. If you’re both in school, think about where you want to get an apartment together in an area that has jobs for both of your fields of study. Talk about your finances and start saving for a place together or talk about how you will both afford rent. Make compromises when talking about jobs and locations and make sure both you and your partner will be happy with your chosen location.

If your long distance relationship is due to your partner being in the military or just in another part of the world, try out video-chat dates. You can watch movies together online, eat and cook dinner together, read to one another, and so much more to continue to strengthen your bond. Use the power of the internet.

Long-distance dating only feels like forever if you let it feel that way. Treat your partner to creative dates, stay in constant communication, plan for your future together, and then, boom! “Forever" will be over before you know it.