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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Leeds chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Winter is the perfect time to snuggle up and share a blanket with your loved one: hot-choccy in hand, and an episode of Gilmore Girls on the TV. However, us long-distance girlies might feel like this winter is a snowstorm headed directly for your relationship. If you’re currently counting down the days before you get to see your pookie again (which as we all know only makes time slow down), then you need to follow these four simple but effective hacks that will help maintain the dynamic of your relationship from afar!
1: ‘Locket Widget’
Our long-distance girlies know what it’s like to constantly be thinking about their other half: what they’re up to, what they’re wearing and even what they’re eating. It’s one thing to be messaging on Snapchat or WhatsApp throughout the day, but what happens when you just want a quick glimpse or sneaky reminder that they’re thinking about you, without actively messaging you?
Matt Moss’ Locket Widget received recognition after it blew up on TikTok as a project to connect with his long-distance girlfriend (he most definitely won some serious brownie points for this). Once downloaded, Locket allows you to take a picture on the Locket Widget camera and then instantly display the photo to your partner’s home-screen.
So, anytime of the day when you’re feeling down or just need a reminder that they’re somewhere thinking about you, send your loved one a picture on Locket Widget. Whether that’s a cute mirror selfie before your seminar, or your face after a sweaty workout, this adorable gesture beats the mindless snapchats that we’ve all become accustomed to – a brand new way of battling long distance through technology.
Just don’t surprise their home screen with any saucy pics, girlies – it’s bound to cause a disaster!
2: ‘Teleparty’
This one is for the girlies who love to watch TV shows and films at the exact same time as their partners. We’ve all been there, spending ages aligning it to the exact second they’re on, counting down from three to press play together, only to discover that you need the loo five minutes in and have to restart the entire process all over again. I know what you’re thinking: surely there’s an easier way..?
…well, there is!
Teleparty is a browser extension that allows you to sync your streaming platform (Netflix, Amazon, Disney Plus etc..) with your partner’s. Whenever you press play or pause, fast-forward or rewind, both you and your partner’s show will always be in sync. Magic! And if I haven’t blown your mind yet, there’s also a chat function on the side of the screen, allowing you to text and react to the film simultaneously. So, whether you’re scared, startled, excited or even bored, you can choose a relevant emoji from the chat function that will illuminate over the film as you’re watching, for both you and your partner’s screens. Just don’t get too distracted – you might miss a plot twist!
If you really want to get freaky with it, you can use your laptop to FaceTime your partner, enable the split screen feature (this will be different for everyone depending on your laptop/PC) and use FaceTime alongside your streaming platform. This way, you can take a sneaky peek at your partner as they watch the film, it’ll be like two movies in one! Best thing is, you’ll also know if they’ve fallen asleep…
3: Shared Shuffle
This hack helped me tackle those Sunday blues where the weekend is coming to an end, and it’s time to return to your life on Monday morning – without your partner. Music is proven to provide therapeutic benefits, reducing those negative emotions that resurface every time you have to say goodbye to your loved one. Sharing a playlist and combining your favourite songs could be the make or break to the way you deal with the inevitable departure of your partner. No more clinging to the doors of their car or running alongside the moving train that holds your partner hostage!
Here, try it for yourself…
Download the Spotify app (if you don’t have it already) and sign up for a student subscription – yes girlies, Spotify is only £5.99 per month for students! It would be rude not to…
Next, create a Spotify playlist! You can do this by clicking the ‘plus’ icon in the bottom right hand corner, taking you to a list of options to choose from. You can either go for the ‘Blend’ option which combines you and your partners music automatically, or you can do this manually by selecting ‘Collaborative Playlist,’ which offers a more precise, tailored version of ‘Blend.’ Now, the fun part. Think of all the songs that are special to your relationship and add them to the playlist!
Whether your taste is Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams or Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd, we both know what vibe you’ll be queuing up to set the mood when you finally see your partner again…
4: Takeaway for Two (with a twist!)
Dinner dates are the perfect way to spice up a relationship, whether that’s going to your favourite pizza spot in town, or snuggling up on the sofa with a Thai curry. Dedicating time for you and your partner to splurge on a meal occasionally can provide benefits to your relationship, reducing stress from your daily routine and releasing those feel-good hormones.
This long-distance dinner hack only requires three crucial elements: FaceTime, a laptop or television and, most importantly, the food! This may sound like a regular facetime and film sesh; however, it isn’t called Takeaway for Two (with a twist) for no reason…
Firstly, make sure you have a general idea of what kind of food your partner fancies (Chinese, Mexican or Italian are my faves, for example). Next, each head to your go-to fast food service on your phone (mine is Deliveroo) and enjoy picking out a surprise meal for each other. Don’t forget to set it to your partner’s address when checking out – crucial for the surprise! After you’ve both ordered food for each other, without telling them what it is (obviously), make sure you’ve propped up your phone and got the FaceTime up and running. Whilst you wait for your food, you can bicker with them about which film to watch! My personal favourite…
When the food arrives, unbox your orders together on FaceTime and express your gratefulness (or disappointment) to them and enjoy! This hack is such a great way to bond with your loved one, no matter the distance. Although they might not be in proximity to you, hopefully they’ll be near a fast-food restaurant. And if they’re not – well, thoughts and prayers…
Editor: Samara Adhyaru
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English (US) ·