Distance is often viewed as a disadvantage in relationships. What is the point of continuing to build a connection without in-person interaction? Why would someone want to leave their friends and family to chase a future when right now feels perfect? These were all questions I was faced with when I was deciding where to go to college. Most of my friends had decided to attend school one town over from home. Though it is a fantastic program, I have always had a fear in the back of my mind that I would regret attending school close to home. I couldn't ignore that I craved personal growth outside of where I’ve lived for over a decade. With this in mind, I decided to apply to Texas A&M. College Station was far enough to feel new. I knew making a massive adjustment would be challenging, but paving my path apart from the crowd would be rewarding.

If I had stayed home, I would've had the perfect college experience with my long-term friend group, boyfriend, and a familiar area. It sounded like something straight out of a movie –high school but with freedom; a fitting sequel. At first, I wanted a stable future, but an alternate admissions path presented an intriguing opportunity. I was offered the chance to spend my first year of college at a smaller school before transferring to Texas A&M, but this school was on an island peninsula 20 minutes from Port Aransas, with an average UV of 8. It was completely different from my hometown. Quickly, the desire to stay near home and the disappointment of a deferral turned into excitement for the future as living on the beach had been a dream of mine. My path suddenly became clear: two years, two new places and two schools. It was daunting, considering I would have to start from scratch twice, but I couldn't ignore the magnetic pull and the repetitive 2's, almost as if they were a sign from the universe encouraging me to be brave. I didn't know if I would have an opportunity like this again. I could always come home to things how I left them, right?

Later that year, I made my first move to Texas A&M Corpus Christi. The initial months brought homesickness and uncertainty, but I eventually fell in love with my new home. My first semester flew by as I made new friends and learned to balance school. One of my biggest concerns with moving was the durability of my hometown connections. I knew that on my end, the trust and dynamics I had in my relationships would not change, but did they feel the same? I sometimes felt jealous watching my friends experience college without me or seeing a couple spend time together on campus –texting and calling can only go so far. Do my people miss me like I miss them? When I came home for the holidays, I realized my biggest concern became true. Home felt different from when I initially left, but this transformation I feared actually promoted growth and launched my relationships to the next level in trust, communication, and independence.

Just as I had grown personally, my friends grew too –some in similar directions and some in the opposite. Life is never stagnant, but some things never shifted amongst the new, like the energy in the air when I laughed with my best friends, the love I felt for my boyfriend and the strong bond between my family. I found that the time I spent with my loved ones now held a deeper meaning than before. Being back together after separation is like a warm, comforting hug, reminding me that the roots of trust and love I have with these people will thrive no matter where I am. It turns out texting and calling do go far. There are obvious downsides to long-distance relationships, but distance can form an unbreakable connection with the proper understanding and person, like diamonds forming under pressure.

In college, I have grown closer to my friends and family from following my heart. Distance allowed me to create a mature identity while remaining rooted wherever home may be. If I had moved somewhere to satisfy someone or stayed in my comfort zone, I knew I wouldn't have developed personally. Through distance, I gained independence, self-security, and confidence in my ability to do tough things myself. Pushing myself to try new things has always made me anxious, but now I enjoy feeling temporarily uncomfortable. My communication skills drastically improved as distance strips relationships down to only talking. Facetime calls with my friends have become the highlight of my day. The trust between my partner and me has become much stronger through reassurance, clarity and consistency. He encourages me to accomplish all my aspirations and to get my degree. More free time allowed me to foster new connections in college, resulting in an authentic home where a piece of me will always remain. Distance is never forever; knowing that I will reunite with the ones I love in the future continuously fuels my dreams. I always feel their absence, but changing the perspective of distance from a negative, isolating burden to a gift of self-opportunity and discovery keeps me secure.

Three years later, I would not change a thing about how my college experience has played out. Discovering who I am away from home in multiple places brought challenges and pain but also beautiful results in my life and relationships. The saying "distance makes the heart grow fonder" couldn't be more accurate; time spent together now holds a more profound meaning with intentionality. Being secure in my direction has allowed the natural connections to stick and the weak ones to fade away. Distance is not the enemy; it is the ultimate test of relationships and self-growth.

Written by Ava Whelan, Photography: Kenley Becker, Social Media: Sarah Jenkins, Styling: Deb Zhang

Go Far, Then Keep Going