And I would (prefer not to) walk a thousand miles: A long-distance Valentine’s Day
After 8 years of being in a long-distance relationship, I’ve had to find ways to make Valentine’s Day special for me and my partner, even with a whole country between us. Thankfully, with the internet, it’s easier than ever. No more sending letters by pigeon or shelling out cash over international calls. We’re modern and affordable!
Dates
Okay, this definition of “date” might seem a little farfetched, but hear me out! There are plenty of things to do virtually if the pandemic has told us anything.
We, personally, use Discord’s screen sharing to have movie nights, but you can also use programs like Zoom or Skype. Some streaming services often implement visual blocks (forcing a black screen when you try to share, for instance) to stop pirating, but there are workarounds: Go to your browser settings and turn off hardware acceleration. This will allow both of you to see what’s being shared.
After that, make yourself a bowl of popcorn and commentate on that new show everyone’s been talking about. (We’ve just started season one of The Umbrella Academy. Really weird, but really good!)
Not into movies? That’s okay, too! My next go-to is definitely video games, whether it’s solo or multiplayer. After a long day, I don’t always have the energy to want to play something, so even just watching my partner play a game, new or not, can be a lot of fun.
Some great, fun good-for-two games I recommend are Stardew Valley, Stick Fight, and Animal Crossing. I also highly recommend picking up any MMO, as they’re entirely made to be played with other people, and you could rope in any mutual friends along, too.
Gifts
To find something with a more personal touch, I often use Etsy. Etsy is a website that a lot of small, independent businesses use to sell their handmade goodies. There is something for everyone on there, I guarantee it. You can buy artwork, food, and even custom dolls of your partner if you’re into that sort of thing. For the same reason, I steer away from Amazon due to the amount of bootleg and low-quality storefronts that litter the first page results, even if their shipping is fast.
Conversation
Oftentimes, when you both finally find a time when you’re both free, it can be hard to figure out what to actually talk about. To solve this, I use the same method to keep track of what topics I want to bring up at therapy and doctor appointments– keep a track of your daily life! I like to journal, so I usually end up writing in there and then recalling it later, but sending rapid-fire texts about thoughts and events as they happen works just as well! It also shows that you’re thinking about them throughout the day. I also encourage taking pictures of day-to-day moments to visually show your partner how life is on your side of things. Nothing feels better than getting a picture of a random dog or being told a weird-looking plant “reminds them of you.”
Being away from the one you love is difficult, regardless of how long you’re apart, especially on a day dedicated to (usually in-person) love. But, at the very least, we’re able to stay connected and that can feel much more romantic than you’d think.
