SDSU Collegian

Issue date: 4/19/05 Section: Juice: Life

Edward Kearns

Dear Edward,

My first year of college has been really great. I've managed to keep my grades decent and have a lot of fun at the same time. I have also made some terrific friends and met a great guy. School is almost over, though, and I don't want it to be. I know this isn't normally a problem but in my case, it's a major issue.

I live in the Black Hills, my boyfriend lives in Minnesota and we are going to have to spend the whole summer apart. My parents would never approve of me driving out there and I know they won't allow him to come here and see me. So what can I do to make sure he and I stay connected and don't feel like strangers again next fall?

~Summer's Sad Girl







Dear Sad Girl,

Yes, kids, there is a darker side to summer break. But every dark side has a light side; you just have to have the right perspective.

I am fairly certain you have been told a thousand times, "If your relationship is strong then you have nothing to worry about." Truth be told, that is the last thing you need to hear right now because you are worried and that only makes you doubt your relationship's future even more. Instead, let's look at some solutions to your problem.

First off, you are a big girl now and you can make your own decisions. Your parents may not be comfortable with the idea of you going to see him, or vise versa, but that is because you are still their little girl. If you approach the situation like an adult and show them you can make arrangements to see each other that they would be comfortable with, things will probably work out for the best.

Because I have a little girl of my own, I feel the need to warn you: Your father will



probably never be comfortable with it.

Onthat note, you may want to use your mother as the "go-to"parent.

Next, invest in a good wireless plan. Many wireless plans let you talk to other members for free so you should be able to keep in touch. This is the 21st century. No matter how far away someone is, technology has made it so that they can always be right there. Even if you can't see each other, daily e-mails or chats on instant messengers will make it seem like he is right next to you. Maintaining a good relationship over a long distance is not nearly as hard as it used to be.

Just for future reference, there are ways to avoid the problem altogether next summer. I suggest finding a good job here in Brookings and enrolling in some summer classes. It will take a lot of the vacation out of your summer, but if you want to stay closer, it will be worth it.



Contact Edward and Kristin at collegianadvice@yahoo.com if you have any questions you needed answered.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools