Relationships can be hard at any time. This year, they are more difficult than anyone could have ever predicted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Relationships, especially those that are long distance, require work and dedication. Usually this is a hard task, but add in a global pandemic, and it might just feel impossible.
In the past, students could easily travel on the weekends to see their significant other if they were in another state, but today we face travel restrictions and quarantine procedures.
Living in the same state can be considered a challenge now as well. Although it may be easier to get to each other, your options when together are limited. It might be nice to go out to dinner with your significant other, but when that’s done, you might not be able to do other things like catch a movie at the theater.
Senior biology student Jesse Bragger has found it tough to spend time with her boyfriend, who lives about an hour away. From seeing him every day before the pandemic, now, she does not know when she will see him next. She said, “One of the hardest things is finding time for each other in our never-ending schedules.”
Not all long distance relationships are romantic, however. Some students who live far away from their friends, parents, and/or siblings are struggling with the difficulty of being unable to see them during the pandemic.
Heather Papa, a senior communication student, said, “I handle long distance relationships with lots of check-ins. I feel that with this pandemic, it is important to remember that with many things being remote, people’s schedules are busier than before. Even though there might not be time to chat regularly throughout the day, I check in with my friends and family on a weekly basis. This can be in the form of a phone call, text, or voicemail.”
As Papa pointed out, check-ins are important. Especially now. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health conditions and suicide rates have risen in the midst of the pandemic.
The CDC states, “Younger adults, racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers, and unpaid adult caregivers reported having experienced disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, increased substance use, and elevated suicidal ideation.” By checking in with friends and family, you can be a shoulder to cry on, making sure that all of your loved ones are cared for.
Kaylee Buduria, a senior criminology and sociology student, is a native of Hawaii. She must travel to and from New Jersey multiple times a year to attend Monmouth. She said, “This pandemic makes it harder for me to want to go back and visit my family in Hawaii. I do not want to risk exposing my family to anything…My preference this year is to stay in New Jersey.”
She continued, “On the other hand, I think about how short life really is and that I should take every opportunity I can to be with them. What makes it especially hard during this pandemic and being so far away is the thought that either one of my parents or my sister could become sick and I am not there to take care of them.”
Students living on campus said goodbye to their families in the beginning of the fall semester, knowing they were taking a risk of getting sick and not seeing them for a long time. Meanwhile, students at home have to sacrifice seeing their friends due to health and safety concerns. Living at home and continuing to attend school online can be a challenge. Although they might have their family around, they have less opportunities to interact with peers, which can feel isolating.
Being alone might heighten the negative effects of this pandemic. However, long distance is not always a bad thing even in this situation, because finally seeing your friends, family, or significant other can give you something to look forward to.
GRAPHIC MADE by Angela Mascia
