The Online Reflector

It is no secret that relationships take a lot of work to be successful, even when couples see each other on a daily basis. However, it can take a lot of work to keep relationships alive when couples are separated by hundreds or thousands of miles.

Hailey Shaffer, junior biology and chemistry major, and her boyfriend Steven B. Williams met on the University of Indianapolis campus their freshman year. They have been dating for more than a year. Williams has since transferred to Ball State University, but the distance from Indianapolis to Muncie is nothing for this couple.

Shaffer is currently studying at Queen’s University Belfast in Belfast, Northern Ireland as a study abroad student, more than 3,000 miles away.

“Steven was very apprehensive at first about me studying abroad,” Shaffer said. “We knew it would put new challenges in our relationship, and I knew I was asking a lot from him.”

Shaffer said that once Williams realized that she was actually serious about studying abroad, he recognized that he was going to have to deal with her being gone.

However, a long-distance relationship isn’t something new to the couple. They live an hour apart when they are home for the summer and UIndy is an hour away from Ball State.

One challenge that the couple faces is finding time to communicate. Belfast is five hours ahead of Indianapolis time.

“That [the time difference] makes it really hard to talk to Steven,” Shaffer said. “When it’s time for bed here, everyone back home is just finishing up at work or school.  I do miss him a lot. I get sad knowing I can’t call him up on the phone to talk, or ask him to come over so we can spend time together.”

Freshman elementary education and psychology major Courtney Carpenter and her boyfriend Reid Fawcett are another couple who have a long-distance relationship. They have been dating for nine months.

Fawcett is currently a senior at Huntington North High School, two hours north of Indianapolis.

Like Shaffer and Williams, Carpenter and Fawcett will continue to have a long-distance relationship next year with Fawcett attending Indiana University.

“Trust is a big thing when it comes to long-distance relationships,” Carpenter said.

To help keep their relationship strong, Carpenter and Fawcett use technology to stay in touch.

“By being able to text all day, call every now and then and Skype—[these] make things easier,” Carpenter said.

Shaffer’s advice is for couples to make sure they make time for each other, even if it’s just a text or a Facebook message that says “I love you.”

Despite the distance, Shaffer said that she and Williams have a very strong relationship. They look forward to being back together in June when Shaffer returns.

“This experience has made our relationship stronger, because we know that even though things aren’t perfect, we can still be there for each other and still make time for one another,” Shaffer said.

Carpenter said that she wants people in long-distance relationships to know that it’s still okay to be themselves, even without their significant other around every day.

“Just because of the distance, don’t freak yourself out about everything,” Carpenter said. “Still live your life, but know that he’s the only one you want to be with.”