By Alexandria Zamecnik

Editor in Chief

I have been a beacon of questionable luck my entire life. There was the time I pooped my pants at Wal-Mart, slipped at graduation, fell down the stairs at the Wisconsin State Capital, lost permanent feeling of my lower lip. Sure, I’m a champ at the game Two Truths and A Lie,  but besides always winning at drinking games, where else has it gotten me? It’s gotten me embarrassed, broken up with, and almost publicly disowned.

The embarrassment never seems to end. I tell my ex boyfriend I love him, and he moves to California. I get my painful wisdom teeth removed, and they botch the surgery. I find a dollar at work, only to spill an entire garbage bag of trash juice on my leg.

After experiencing 21 years of travesty, you start to question every God you can think to question: Jesus, Allah, the ancient and mythical Wendigo. You yell to the skies, “where did I go wrong!?”

Although my bad luck is probably going to get me nowhere in life, it can and should serve as a purpose to someone else. Take my advice with a grain of salt, because I’m still trying to learn from my own poorly timed fortune. My first advice is (drumroll), how to maintain a long distance relationship.

My long distance relationship started this summer and ended before it was over. Fun, right?  Wrong. Looking back on it now, I probably could have fixed it, but I was stubborn. So don’t fret, you still have a chance.

Communicate with caution

When someone moves away it can almost feel like you’ve instantly been demoted out of their life. You’ll try to make up for it with constant communication and social media makes it easy. You’ll send Snapchats, tweets, Facebook messages and the simple text. However, realize that those won’t make up for face-to-face communication or a phone call. Use your social media privliges sparingly. Appreciate the beauty of FaceTime, Skype or regular phone call. My data plan and wallet did not agree with my relationship.

Be a support system

It’s easy to forget about the problems the other person may be facing when they are hundreds of miles away. The daily drama and struggle in your life seem to be the only things that matter. In reality, your significant other is in the same boat. Learn to ask simple questions like, “how was your day?” and “how are you feeling?” Respond genuinely before moving on to talk about how much you dislike your boss and how your sweat stains ruined your favorite shirt.

Don’t force it

If it’s not going to work, it’s not going to work. I made the mistake of spending two months of my life trying to force my fake happiness on my significant other. Faking my happiness created a sense of bitterness between the two of us. Just let things happen naturally. If your relationship was meant to be, it will work out in the future.

All-in-all long distance relationships will be hard work no matter how in love you are. Find schedules that work with your significant other. Take the time to discuss each others wants and needs. Don’t make rash decisions with your relationship. Learn to work with the other person.