Hi @Matcha_Toad
Thank you for sharing this, your post made me feel so so understood. I’m in a long-distance relationship as well - my partner (he/him) lives all the way in South America!
I can see you’ve made a truly positive connection with your partner and I’m so happy for you! The last time I saw my partner was actually a situation pretty similar to yours. I reunited with him in his hometown, met his family/friends for the first time, and spent time travelling overseas with him. I know the feeling of having to say goodbye. It is truly heart-shattering and overwhelming going from spending every moment with them one second, to suddenly being apart the next. You both are incredibly strong for going through this difficult time, and remember that it is not forever - there is an end to the period of long-distance with them!
I find that on my ‘hard’ days especially (days where the long-distance hurts a bit more), talking with my partner about it really helps. Sharing my frustration, sadness, anger, etc. with him about the struggles of long-distance makes me feel less alone because I know that he understands those experiences and how to make me feel better. Your partner will understand you and the feelings that you’re going through the most! Also, try to make plans for yourself now that you’re back home again - catch up with friends regularly, look for some interesting books/TV shows/podcasts to get into, or maybe even pick up a new hobby (I randomly got into cooking 😅). And take time to reflect back and appreciate how far you both have come! Being able to do over a year of long-distance is such a huge achievement. I know that this time immediately after saying goodbye is so hard. Remember that you both could do it before, and in the long run, it will all be worth it.
I also relate to the uncertainty about whether to do further study or work after graduating from University. I ended up taking a travel break after graduating and eventually decided to continue studying! The uncertainty about the future is so daunting, but the fact that you are looking at and are open to all of your options is really good! Have you thought about maybe talking to a career advisor about all of it? Remember that if what you decide to do doesn’t end up feeling right for you, you have the rest of your life to figure it all out ☺️
I hope you can start to feel better in the next few weeks. It’s comforting to know that others are going through similar hardships, we can do this! ❤️
