The year 2020 has given us a lot of things. Apart from the obvious (pandemic), all of us (who survived the ordeal) grew by learning so many things that we might not be able to experience otherwise. Losing the people that we love, spending time away from them, or putting up with and tolerating them more than we used to because we were forced to spend more time together.
For ourselves, 2020 gave us so many lessons that we have to grasp and adjust to. A couple of months ago we broke up, then got back together again (that’s a story for another time). Then, because of a few things, we decided to spend time apart from each other. We are currently in a long distance relationship for one month and counting.
Later, we want to share our stories and how we cope with enduring a long distance relationship, and make it work (so far!) with date and activity ideas.
Paul
Because of the pandemic, I had not had the chance to visit my family back home. With borders closing and the lockdown everywhere, I thought, if I flew home, I wouldn’t know when I could come back to Jess. It was really hard for me to plan things. But I wanted to come back to meet my family, especially for Christmas. I also had a few things I needed to take care of back home regarding work. So I told Jess, I’d fly out of the country in mid-December, and that we would be away from each other for a significant amount of time.
Jess
Before Paul flew back to Europe, we had been away from each other for about three weeks. I had to fly to my hometown because my brother was getting married; we spent some time off of each other because I thought it was a good idea (since we just broke up and got back together). I knew Paul had to go sooner or later to take care of things back home, but I didn’t expect it to be that quick. We only had one week together before he had to leave. I miss him all the time now, and the uncertainty makes it even worse — we don’t know when we’ll be able to see each other again because of the travel and border restrictions.
8 date and activity ideas for long distance relationship couples
Long distance relationships suck, but we have to make do with what we have. We definitely want to make it work. So, here are 8 things that we’ve been doing to help us cope with the LDR situation, and keep the sparks alive!
1. Watching movies together online
Watching movies and series is our all-time favorite activity, both when we’re together or apart. Using the web browser extension Teleparty, you can watch series or movies together in sync! It also has a chat feature so you can talk during the movies. There are other options, of course: you can utilize apps like Zoom, Discord, or WhatsApp and sync the movies manually.
2. Virtual dinner
Set up your dinner table with flowers, candles, and cook (or buy) a themed food: Chinese, Mexican, Indian, or anything you like. Do a video call and turn on the camera, so you can see each other on the screen while having dinner. You can do it as fancy or as casual as you want. Even eating your favorite McDonald’s menu can be fun if you’re doing it together!
3. Food delivery
Who doesn’t like receiving a surprise lunch or dinner? Especially if it’s your favorite food? Surprise your partner with delicious, healthy, or hearty food that they like, by utilizing online delivery services. The service is available almost anywhere now, and it’s a nice gesture to show your love to them.
4. Buy a secret gift for each other
Don’t we all love e-commerce? With e-commerce websites like Amazon everywhere, it’s easy to buy presents and send them anywhere in the world. Set a budget, and then tell them to expect a surprise coming in a box 🙂
5. Create music playlists
Share lists that both of you can add songs to. Or create your own playlist and play it in sync with your partner. It can feel soothing to listen to the same song at the same time with your loved one.
6. Play online games
Either mobile or PC, get something that you both love to play together. It can be a competitive or collaborative game, as long as you both enjoy them. We like playing Monopoly online on our mobile. You can also check out Steam to choose different types of games!
7. Send pictures or videos (naughty or not).
Sometimes just texting is not enough. After not seeing each other for a while, you will want to see them or hear their voice. Of course, the options are not limited to selfies; you can also send them the view from your window, your lunch or dinner, something random you see that day, or you in a naughty outfit (!). Make it as random as possible so your partner won’t know what to expect!
8. Phone sex
Sex while being in a long distance relationship is definitely tricky. But it is important to keep the flame going or it can affect the relationship badly. You can send each other pictures or videos (or voice notes!) during the day to build up the tension. Give your partner a teaser of what they can get later. At night, spend time with them to release the tension through chat, voice, or video call!
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