Falling for someone over a long distance can be as scary as it is beautiful. They say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, and while that might be true, it’s also sometimes difficult to overcome the feeling of longing for your partner at times.
Living in the modern, tech-savvy world comes with its own set of perks. While traveling coast-to-coast or to a different country (or continent!) can be quite a task to undertake for love, and not something you can do at a whim whenever you want, there are other ways to feel closer to your partner than you were able to just a decade ago.
Some of the ways in which technology can be a great tool to make a long-distance relationship grow and flourish might seem logical, and some might seem out of this world, but all of them are something to consider if you and your loved one are living miles apart.
1. Shared Experiences
One of the best things about the rise of fast networks and new technologies is that there are multiple ways for you and your long-distance partner to enjoy things together. Having a date night where you have a drink, dinner and watch a movie on Netflix together is now super easy through things like watch parties for streaming services. Turn on your laptop on a video call while you stream on TV and you get a perfect cozy date-at-home experience.
True, there might be technical issues if you’re in different countries. The movie you picked not being available for both of you might sour the mood, but digital tools can help with that too. The top VPN ranked in the US can help you overcome geo-restrictions, but also protect your data while you’re chatting with your partner daily.
Movies don’t have to be the end-all of these shared experiences, of course. With shared playlists you can enhance the mood for each other throughout the day, or use collaborative YouTube lists to share interesting things with one another at times other than dedicated date slots.
2. Planning and Collaborating
Existing in a relationship that spans hundreds or thousands of miles can be an exhausting ordeal. If you’re living in different time zones, even planning a digital date can become a difficult task. However, the vast array of collaborating and planning tools can make your life easier in many ways. If you and your partner use calendar apps, you can easily sync your schedules and figure out the best time to meet for a video chat on the go.
If you’re well acquainted with each other’s job timetable and other out-of-office commitments, planning a good time for a chat or even figuring out a time to meet somewhere for a short vacation can become much easier. It is well-known that traveling together makes a couple’s bond stronger, so why not grab the opportunity to do so?
On top of that, couples with a knack for the creative can actually engage in making art together over the web. Whether it’s paintings, music, or stories – the tools used for business collaboration can also be something utilised for your combined romantic and artistic efforts. Even if you’re not the artistic type, just the act of sharing an activity like that can mean a lot to both of you.
3. Instant Communication
Fortunately, the age of letters that take ages to travel from one town to another is long gone. Having a partner that’s far away from you physically is easily overcome through the use of instant messaging apps. While these too can be overwhelming and overbearing in our daily lives, they can also be a great tool to keep the embers of your relationship burning even when you’re far away from each other.
Still, some rules apply even for couples that don’t get to spend too much time together. Texting all the time can create some anxiety, so it’s important to know the dos and don’ts of instant messaging in order to keep your connection strong and respectful.
More than just texting, there are the endless possibilities of face-to-face interaction through many apps for video calls. Having a real time conversation where you actually see your loved one’s face and the subtle nuances in the eyes and body language are a component that’s vital to meaningful conversation. When you can both hear and see the person you are talking with, you can foster an intimacy far beyond text messages or even regular phone calls.
4. Love Apps
Everyone is aware of the plethora of dating apps out there. For most people those have become a minefield they would rather not go back to. And there’s the usual lifecycle – get on one of those, find someone, delete, break up, dive back in again. However, when you find yourself safe out of those waters, that doesn’t mean that you need to forget about the role of digital apps in your love life. In fact, there is now quite a selection of couples’ apps for you to give an additional layer of communication and appreciation to your partner.
Relationship apps are a somewhat new concept, but one that works pretty well for committed couples, especially the ones in long-distance relationships. Other than serving as a direct line of communication through text and voice messages, these apps give you the tools to plan your schedules together.
But even further than that, a lot of them come with different unique features such as love nudges in form of stickers or messages of appreciation and care, memory boards for photos and videos, and ways to let your significant other you’re in need of some intimate alone time with each other.
5. Immersive Activities
Another fantastic aspect of new technologies is that our time in the digital world can be more immersive than ever. With tech like VR headsets, you can go for a walk through a museum or a flowery field with your partner even if you’re on different sides of the planet.
Even without the headsets that can indeed be a pricey investment, there are many AR (augmented reality) activities that can make your video calls more romantic. There are many couples living away from each other who have found a new bond in gaming together. Whether it’s just casual games or something more serious, these activities serve as a bridge to the distance between you and provide a different sense of intimacy.
Breakthroughs in haptic technology are now on the way to helping us tend to the desire for actual physical touch. While this is still a tech in development, there are more and more wearable devices that can simulate the sensation of touch through tactile feedback in the cloth. As these gadgets develop and become more accessible, the feeling of distance will be more easily diminished.
Closing the Distance
As you can see, there are many aspects of the digital world that are amazingly helpful for couples that are divided by physical distance. Even though it can sometimes be an overwhelming experience, we’re grateful that with these technologies it’s easier than ever to feel close to your loved ones with nothing more than a tap on the screen.
