• Follow us on Twitter
  • Join our Facebook Group

University Survival

  • Student Success Skills
    • Picking a College
    • Financing Your Education
    • Choosing a Major
    • Preparing for College
    • Managing the Personal Side of the Transition to College
    • Developing Discipline to Do Well
    • Managing the Social Side of College
    • Being an Efficient Learner
    • Taking Tests
    • Ensuring You Receive The Grade You Want
    • Managing Group Projects
    • Becoming a Campus Leader
    • Student Athletes
    • Navigating College Practices
    • Succeeding on Internships and Co-ops
    • Making Critical Decisions
    • Overcoming Challenges for Specific Types of Students
    • Setting Goals
    • Being an International Student In The United States
    • Using Resources
    • Communication Skills for College Graduates
    • Building a Professional Network
    • Using LinkedIn to Develop Your Network
    • Preparing for a Career
    • Understanding Job Protocols
    • Developing Essential Career Skills
    • Becoming a Leader
    • Overcoming Career Challenges
    • Planning for your Financial Future
  • Parent Connections
    • Parent Topics
      • Being a Supportive Parent
      • Making Critical Decisions
      • Financing Your Student’s Education
    • Parent Emails
  • Teacher Resources
  • Resources
  • Community
  • About
You are here: Student Success Skills » Managing the Social Side of College » Managing a Long Distance Relationship

Student Success Skills

Managing a Long Distance Relationship

by jack
July 13, 2012

Imagine this situation. You are talking with your advisor about your poor performance the previous semester. You are on probation and close to being suspended. Your advisor wants to know what the problem was.

You start to describe how you struggled with the fact that your girlfriend was still at home. You made trips home every other weekend. The relationship didn’t last. Your eyes start tearing.

The above situation can seem humorous, tragic, or stupid depending on your point of view and personal situation. The reality is that one of the most common reasons for student failures in college is related to a long distance relationship. Generally these relationships don’t last, but in their wake they leave a failing student.

Here’s some advice on dealing with a long-distance relationship. The advice that follows may seem harsh and unsentimental, but virtually every student who has attempted a long distance relationship while in college would tell you the same thing.

  1. Before you go to college have a discussion with your boyfriend/girlfriend. Develop an understanding about
    • Phone calls
    • Personal visits
    • Going out on campus

If you struggle with an amicable and realistic agreement, perhaps you should break off the relationship.

  1. Limit getting together to no more than once/month. Your grades will suffer if you get together more often.
  2. View the separation as a test of the relationship. Help each other recognize what is straining the relationship and try to avoid these.
  3. Implement a “no moping” policy and call each other out when moping begins.
  4. Be supportive of each other especially with regard to academic matters. Discuss your grades, your courses, and the challenges you face. What you don’t want to do is to end a phone call worrying about the relationship.
  5. If you sense the relationship isn’t going to survive the separation, cut it off sooner rather than later.
  6. If you do cut off the relationship, use school work as a way to keep your mind off of the failed relationship, see Dealing with a Breakup in College. Whatever you do, don’t get into unnecessary drama that will distract you.

You’ll have to realize that very few long distance relationships last. Fortunately the recovery time is short because there are lots of other possibilities on campus..

← Finding a Tutor
Overcoming a Bad Test Grade →

Suggest a Topic

Looking for a topic and can't find it? Why not submit one...

Suggest a Topic

Share This

Rate This Topic

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading...

Testimonials

  • This semester I have made some big improvements to not only my school work, but to all aspects of college life.  I have become a lot more time efficient.  I have learned a lot of better ways to study, such as making flash cards and using new note taking strategies.  I have also started going to class 15 minutes before it starts so I have time to get all of my stuff organized and ready for class.  I also plan on using my agenda more effectively.  I have really struggled with my time management skills this semester.  They are slightly better this semester compared to last, but not as good as I would have liked them to be at this point.  I have done a lot better with classes this semester though.  I have gone to allmost all of my classes this semester.  I have also done really well with homework..

Sign Up For Student Emails

Sign up for Student Emails

Enter your email below to get weekly student emails.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Suggest a Topic

Looking for a topic and can't find it? Why not submit one...

Suggest a Topic

Share This

Sign Up For Parent Emails

Sign up for Parent Emails

Enter your email below to get weekly parent emails.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Suggest a Topic

Looking for a topic and can't find it? Why not submit one...

Suggest a Topic
© Copyright - University Survival