All relationships require time. But long-distance ones? They require it in a different kind of way. You’ve both got to get on a workable schedule. If you work from 9-5

and they work a night shift, when would you talk? Or, if their downtime is on the weekends but you have a child, you’re probably going to always be on the go

then. A lot of long-distance relationships end up not working out, not because the two people don’t care about each other, but because they can never find the time to

really connect. At least when you live in the same city, you can drive over when you have a quick moment. Time is a doozy. Ask yourself if you have

enough of it to make a long-distance relationship work. And last.

Thankfully, paying for roaming fees on a cell phone is basically a thing of the past. But unless you plan on Skyping for the rest of your life, someone’s going

to need to come up with the money to pay flights and rental cars. Based on how often you see each other, if you tally all of that up at

the end of the year, that could be thousands of dollars. Do you want to spend that kind of money? And more importantly, can you afford to? 

One more thing on

this point. If your answers are “yes” and “yes”, make sure the two you discuss mutuality. You don’t need to be the ONLY ONE shelling out cash (or credit) to

make the relationship happen. Things need to have an equal amount of contribution.

Long-distance relationships are definitely not for impatient people. A lot of waiting is involved. Waiting for them to call. Waiting for them to return your call. Waiting to see each

other in between weeks (or months) of stretches at a time. The saying “Good things come to those who wait” is true, but it can be a long hard road.

So, if you’re not the “absence makes the heart grow fonder” kind of girl, rethink getting involved in a long-distance relationship.

All relationships need trust in order to work, but you need your confidence to be on steroids to survive a long-distance relationship. You can’t just pop up at their crib

to see what’s going on when you’re living in two different states (and you shouldn’t be doing it if you did, but that’s another article for another time). If you

have jealousy issues or possessive tendencies, pump the brakes and get a handle on those issues first. Being jealous in a long-distance relationship will cost you the relationship, and probably a

friendship too.

Things are not always as they appear in social media, period. Sometimes a picture is just a picture. Also, who you’re dating can’t control everything that someone else says on their

page. A lot of celebrities will tell you that one of the keys to a healthy and lasting relationship is not only to keep your situation off the radar, but

to not spend a lot of time on each other’s accounts too. Do you have enough self-control to heed that advice?

Long-distance relationships require so much time, effort and energy that our vote is if you’re not investing into something long-term, it might be better to just be friends. You don’t

want to look back and realize you've been giving your all while the person you’re with is taking a more laid back approach. Bottom line, if you don’t want a serious

relationship, a long-distance one is probably not for you. Stick to someone a little closer to home.