Why Long Distance Relationships At University Are A Great Idea

And why you haven't made a huge mistake

University students are a masochistic lot. Alcohol, dissertations, group presentations, three-hour lectures and more alcohol; it's a challenging time all round. Why do we punish ourselves so vigorously people ask? Well, we never said it wasn't fun. There's one particular difficulty, though, that many of us keep putting ourselves through: the Long Distance Relationship. Three of the most brutal words in the English language. No one looks at a long distance relationship (LDR) and says "you know what, that's what I want!" do they? Unlike the alcohol, dissertations, group presentations, three-hour lectures and more alcohol, the fun levels of a LDR don't seem to outweigh the torment.

But I am here to tell you to rejoice! It doesn't have to be this way. As someone who is personally embroiled in a LDR, and has previously compared it to the War of the Ring, I am going to employ the shocking tactic of positivity (gross I know). I'm not going to list all the ways it sucks, or even try to tell you how to make it work. I'm going to tell you all the ways that a university LDR is awesome, and why anyone involved in one is actually winning.

1. Third Base

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No not those bases. I’m talking actual bases. You have your flatmates, and you love them. You have your family, and you love them. But sometimes you just want a place where you don’t have to worry about who is cleaning what, or deal with the awkwardness of two flatmates breaking the cardinal ‘no-touchy’ rule. Visiting home is great, but it sucks having to rota visiting hours for old friends and family. The LDR can take you away from all this. Your name won’t appear on any cleaning schedule, and you’re only there to see one person! Your partner’s flatmate related awkwardness becomes pure scandal, grab some popcorn and enjoy. Hell, do yourself a favour and find a tidy person; their place will become a safe haven from whatever hellspawn your flat are trying to produce.

2. Me Party

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Me, myself and I. Not seeing your other half is crappy, but getting a whole evening to yourself? Yes please. Netflix was made for this. Tea was made for this. Large bowls of cereal were made for this. Live your life the way you want! For once you’re not neglecting anyone by doing whatever the hell takes your fancy, without the relative loneliness of being single, so enjoy it whilst it lasts!

3. Good things come to those who naked SnapChat

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You know how if Christmas came every day, no one would like Christmas so much? Well, sex is kind of like that. Go two weeks with only nude Skype chats, and the reunion sex marathon will seem worth it. Amazing sex every day? Pffft, overrated much? (Please, work with me guys.)

4. Roadtrip?

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Because yes, reunion sex is amazing, but if you’re visiting each other at home, it can quickly turn into a game of “Lets see if we can finish before your parents get home”, or the classic “Make a noise whilst we’re doing it and so help me, we’re over”. Of course, intimacy in the flat is all well and good so long as flatmate banter is at a minimum. You’re never really quite safe are you? Bearing this all in mind, what better excuse is there to book a last minute holiday? It doesn’t even have to be somewhere exotic; going down the road to the local Travelodge won’t seem odd! (It might, however, seem seedy.)

5. Freedom Is Sweet

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Just to be clear: if you cheat, you’re an asshole. But one of the benefits of a LDR is being able to take a step back relatively easily. If you find that you need a bit of space, it’s there for the taking! And lets face it, LDR or regular relationship, sometimes the love of your life’s face can make you want to punch a wall for no logical reason whatsoever. It’s perfectly natural, but you have the benefit of being able to turn off your phone for a few hours and becoming virtually an island.

6. Hey there big ears

There's something amazing about being able to talk to someone close to you, who also lives outside of your every-day bubble. You can vent to your hearts content about whomever you want, and they will be genuinely interested. And hey, if they don't know the person you're talking about, you always come out looking like the good one. Milk it!

7. You’ve gotta get with my friends

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Unless your partner’s friends are awful, in which case, rejoice that you barely have to spend time with them. When you’re away; forget about them. When you’re visiting; you came to spend time with your other half, not their friends. With this as an excuse, no one has to know you hate their guts.

8. I see the light!

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Most long distance situations are there to be resolved; you are aiming to move in with, or at least closer to, each other eventually. When that point arrives, you are well setup to cope with any further challenges, as you’ve overcome the heaving monster that is the LDR. Your foundations are built on blood sweat, tears and Netflix, and so they are the strongest known to man.

So go forth! Revel in your long distance romance, because you're the envy of all those losers who chose the easy, sensible, and cheaper way. What was I saying again?