The Do’s and Don’ts of Long Distance Online Dating

So, you’ve met the person of your dreams via online dating, but there’s a catch – they live miles away from you and you don’t get to spend as much time with them as you’d like. Online dating can be tricky, especially when there’s a large distance involved, so we thought we’d put together a list of do’s and don’ts for you to refer to, just in case you find yourself with a long-distance love.

Do – Make sure you communicate.
Without a physical closeness in your relationship, the only way you really have to stay connected to one another is with proper communication. Install a messaging app on your phones which you only use to speak to your other half and you’ll feel a little flutter of excitement when you see their name pop up on your screen.

Don’t – Let things slide.
The phrase “out of sight, out of mind” exists for a reason. Allowing your relationship to fall by the wayside because you don’t see the person often enough is not good – either admit that things aren’t working and call it quits, or make more effort to stay in touch.

Do – Make sure there’s trust.
There’s very little point being in a relationship with a person unless you have 100% trust, and nothing will test that trust like a few hundred miles between the two of you.

Don’t – Take them for granted.
If you made plans to speak on the phone or connect in some other way, don’t forget or go out with friends in the assumption that they’ll just be waiting for you when you get home. You wouldn’t do this to someone you lived with and distance shouldn’t make a difference.

Do – Surprise them!
Be it with an unplanned visit, a love letter, bunch of flowers or even just a sexy text message telling them what you’ll do when you see them next. Anything out of the blue is a lovely way to remind your other half that you’re thinking about them, even when you aren’t together.

Don’t – Trivialize their feelings.
Long distance can be a struggle and some people cope with it better than others. If they’re feeling sensitive, be empathic to their feelings and don’t try to brush them off as silly of unfounded. Gentle reassurance usually works better than blanket denial.

Do – Try sharing a hobby.
Be it online gaming, paper craft, cooking or any other number of things, sharing an interest is a great way to feel closer to your loved one.

Don’t – Forget to date!
This may seem like a crazy thing to suggest if you’re half a world away, but setting aside a couple of hours where you video call one another and eat the same meal, watch the same movie or just have a proper chat can make you feel just as close as if you were in the same room.

Do – Enjoy yourself!
Dating is supposed to be fun. Sure, there will be tough times and you should deal with those head on, but if it stops being fun and making you happy, you should probably re-think your relationship.