Although some students in high school relationships decide not to take the risk and become long distance, others feel like chancing it. Being in any sort of relationship in the hectic college environment can be difficult, but adding a few √É¢’ or a few hundred √É¢’ miles can be even worse.

J. Thomas Cousins, Ph.D., clinical director of Binghamton University’s Counseling Center, suggests that like all relationships, communication is key.

“In order to maintain (a long-distance relationship) you need regular communication,” Cousins said.

However, like all areas of life, having a healthy balance is necessary, and Cousins warns against e-mail or instant messaging as primary tools.

“You could spend the whole night IMing or chatting while you should be studying,” Cousins said. “And there’s a danger that something written may be interpreted differently than it was meant to.”

One of the most important things to remember is allowing yourself to get the full experience of Binghamton, making new friends, going out and exploring the area.

“A lot of students in long-distance relationships fail to take advantage of the experiences that make Binghamton a great place to be,” Cousins said.

Another danger involved in long distance is meeting someone else.

“It may be easy to be seduced by attractive people close at hand,” Cousins explained.

But if you are in a long-distance relationship, you just need to remember why you’re in it in the first place.