Annie (AKA Hey Terra!) has been around long enough to have experienced a lot of what Life can dish out. But, it hasn’t been so long that she's forgotten what it's like to be your age. Check out some of the thousands of email questions teens from around the world have sent to Terra. You may learn something useful from her answers:
Long-distance relationships:
“How do I make a long distance relationship last?”
Hey Terra,
I met a guy when I went on a vacation with my family. I really REALLY like him. We keep in touch over the phone, IM, email, and stuff. How do I make a long distance relationship last? PLEASE HELP ME!Spring Love
Dear Spring Love,
I know about long distance relationships since my husband and I met when I was on vacation and we lived 3,000 miles apart! We made it work, but we weren't teens when we met and that makes a difference.
In order for a long distance relationship to survive the separation, you and the guy have to make a commitment to stay in touch because you both want it "to last." It's not enough if you're the only one making all the effort. You both have to be 100% committed to the relationship.
There's another thing you should be aware of: when people are on vacation they present a certain part of themselves that may not be "the whole picture." It's easier to fall in love with the cool stranger you meet on vacation because everyone is relaxed (out of school) and up for adventure. But unless you have a real opportunity to interact with someone in his/her "normal world", meet their friends, see how they treat other people and vice versa... Neither of you may get to know "the real" people you are.
I'm not saying that your relationship with this guy won't last, it may! I'm just pointing out that you should take it slowly and give yourselves the time you both need to get to know each other.
By the way, when you were on vacation, did you get to meet his parents and vice versa? What did your parents think of him?
In friendship,
Terra
Need some advice? Write to Terra.
She'll give you a straight answer you can trust without any lectures.
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