So, you’ve decided to give it a go. You’re no longer living in the same town, and even though you may only be a short train journey away, it feels like you’re on a different continent…

Let’s be realistic, long-distance relationships at University aren’t easy to maintain. But they can work. Here’s how you can make it happen.

Defy the distance
Don’t act like you’re miles apart. Talk about your partner to your friends and put some pictures up around your room. Or how about sending a few small gifts or letters? Let your other half know that you are thinking about them and remind one another how important you are to each other’s lives.

Talk about the future
Do you have anything planned for your next semester break? Perhaps you’re going to go travelling together in the summer? Organise something with your partner, it will give you an event to look forward to and will offer a fantastic opportunity for you to spend some time researching together online.

Communicate in some way every day
There’s a wealth of methods available to communicate with each other. Of course phone calls are the most personal way to communicate, and if you have free minutes or Orange Magic Numbers then a phone call to your partner is always cheap. But don’t forget Skype, where you can talk for hours on end for free, and if you have a webcam, face-to-face.  Finally, Gmail, Facebook and Blackberry all have ‘chat’ features, making contacting your other half easy and convenient.

Plan your time together, but also be spontaneous
Make sure that you plan your weekends (or if you’re lucky enough to be social science students, weekdays) to be spent together. This way you’re both able to manage your time and share each other’s new cities. But who likes mundane predictability? Be spontaneous and surprise your partner with visits. Believe us, the look on his or her face will be worth the extortionate train fare you paid at the station that morning! For any other tickets book well in advance, sites such as the Trainline are great for advance fares, or try out Megabus if you fancy some very cheap coach journeys.

Trust
Trust each other, this goes without saying. Jealousy, suspicion and conflict are not the perfect ingredients for your relationship. Be there for your partner and make the relationship your priority.

Make them a part of your new life
Introduce your partner to your new friends and don’t live in isolation when you visit each other. Go out as a group, take your partner on a tour of your city, whatever you do, ensure that they know they’re a major part of your University life and can enjoy being with you, and your friends.

Remember, absence makes the heart grow fonder. You will be silly with excitement every time you’re about to see one another. Enjoy the challenge and you’ll be stronger for it…