Spring Break
Long Distance love affair
College students spend months apart while their relationships last across miles
Holly Mohr / Staff reporter
Issue date: 4/28/05 Section: The Verge
Courtney Lowe, a communication disorders and sciences major, said her long distance relationship did not work.
"Jealousy plays a big part," she said. "People fight regardless of where they are."
Lowe said she does not recommend long distance relationships unless you're in love.
"Try to stay friends and see what comes later when you're together and not apart," Lowe said.
Other factors play into having a healthy long distance relationship.
Brown said having a flexible social life has helped in the past and will help this summer.
"We don't always need to be together," Brown said. "We have friends in common and apart."
Brown said the best advice for students involved in a long distance relationship is "don't hide anything." Her boyfriend gave the same type of advice.
"Be upfront," said Born. "It helps a lot."
Born said he and Brown usually see each other on the weekends during school, so it won't be that different in the summer.
"It'll be hard but why shouldn't it work?" he said. "We love each other."
Psychologists may have a different opinion on long distance relationships.
Joseph Williams, associate professor of psychology, said he believes that contact is the way to fulfill a healthy relationship.
"Once students move to two different locations, they may become two different people," he said. "People 18-24 are still maturing and becoming the person they'll be."
Williams said the danger of the long distance relationship is that the couple will grow apart and "break up because of less contact."
Some couples are willing to take that risk.
Wangerski said he's going to make it work because he loves Rasmussen and she loves him.
"We're not going to break up just because it's summer," he said.
Even though some students have made long distance relationships work in the past, some people are still skeptical about them.
"You can't have a meaningful relationship if you don't see each other," Williams said. "Attitudes change."
He said long distance relationships likely will not succeed, but when they do it's great.
"Jealousy plays a big part," she said. "People fight regardless of where they are."
Lowe said she does not recommend long distance relationships unless you're in love.
"Try to stay friends and see what comes later when you're together and not apart," Lowe said.
Other factors play into having a healthy long distance relationship.
Brown said having a flexible social life has helped in the past and will help this summer.
"We don't always need to be together," Brown said. "We have friends in common and apart."
Brown said the best advice for students involved in a long distance relationship is "don't hide anything." Her boyfriend gave the same type of advice.
"Be upfront," said Born. "It helps a lot."
Born said he and Brown usually see each other on the weekends during school, so it won't be that different in the summer.
"It'll be hard but why shouldn't it work?" he said. "We love each other."
Psychologists may have a different opinion on long distance relationships.
Joseph Williams, associate professor of psychology, said he believes that contact is the way to fulfill a healthy relationship.
"Once students move to two different locations, they may become two different people," he said. "People 18-24 are still maturing and becoming the person they'll be."
Williams said the danger of the long distance relationship is that the couple will grow apart and "break up because of less contact."
Some couples are willing to take that risk.
Wangerski said he's going to make it work because he loves Rasmussen and she loves him.
"We're not going to break up just because it's summer," he said.
Even though some students have made long distance relationships work in the past, some people are still skeptical about them.
"You can't have a meaningful relationship if you don't see each other," Williams said. "Attitudes change."
He said long distance relationships likely will not succeed, but when they do it's great.
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