Long distance relationships can be scary and difficult. Balancing school, friends, family, and that special someone can seem like a daunting task that only a few people dare to try. 

According to a study conducted by Jonathon Beckmeyer, 34.2% of college students who are in a romantic relationship are long distance. 

Howard students like Jade Jacques and David Ledbetter navigate learning to love their partners against the distance. 

Jade Jacques, a junior computer information system major, met her boyfriend on Instagram. He followed her and she didn’t think much of it until an Instagram rant caused him to slide up. Conversation started flowing, and he soon asked her on a date when she went home to New York, where they were both from. 

They have now been dating for about a year and four months. Jacques’ take on long-distance relationships is simple.

“Honesty loyalty and communication,” are the key to a successful  

long distance relationship. 

She also notes paying attention to details makes a big difference.

“For Christmas, I got a small Christmas tree for my room, and he sent me a personalized ornament for my tree with a picture of us.” For Jacques, this moment showed her that he cared and noticed what was happening in her day-to-day life even from a distance.

Freshman philosophy major David Ledbetter met his girlfriend at the gym. Their long-distance relationship started when he moved to Howard’s campus from Charlotte, North Carolina. 

One thing that prepared them for the distant relationship was communicating their expectations. 

“For me, I think that the transition, we kind of talked about it, and so that helped,” Ledbetter expressed. 

He recommends, “Going over what to expect and some of the things that we’re looking forward to—when you communicate your expectations, you know you can’t let each other down.”

Sheree Denáe, a lifestyle and fashion TikTok influencer located in the DMV area, gave a glimpse into her long distance relationship and how she handles the distance. 

She met her boyfriend, Tyriq McAdoo, through her Instagram DMs.

“I saw that Instagram is like a dating website; when you think about it, you’re putting yourself out there. If guys see something they like, they can slide in the DMS,” Denáe said.

Denáe emphasized the importance of focusing on the future in a long-distance relationship. 

“You’re not going to be long-distance forever. That’s what’s always in our minds. It’s like we know we’re apart right now. But one day, we’re going to be together. And that’s what you’re working towards,” she explained. 

Denáe shared her relationship with her TikTok and started getting a lot of questions about her relationship, so she decided to make an e-book. Her long-distance relationship guide was created to answer burning questions and give tips and tricks to her followers about being in a long-distance relationship.