I’ve been waiting to start at Cambridge for two years now and am so excited! The only downside is it means I have to move away from my long term boyfriend who I’ve been with for a year now. We will only be 3 hours away, but he works as a chef, so finds it difficult to take time off. Any advice on keeping the romance alive in a long distance relationship whilst at university?!

If I received a pound for every worried look I got after telling people that my boyfriend and I are at different universities, I could probably retire comfortably right now – at the grand old age of 18. Friends and family seem concerned, arguments are prophesied, and it seems to be the consensus that you’ll drift apart before you’ve even said your goodbyes. But in truth, every relationship is different – there’s room for all shapes and sizes in this world, and at the end of the day, there isn’t really an ideal relationship blueprint – so just go with the flow! Maintaining a long-distance relationship is just like maintaining any other.

You are presented with the perfect opportunity to achieve a balance between your own life and your relationship.

It’s easy to only see the negatives: you’re apart, living drastically different lifestyles, and unable to share experiences. But this comes with has a host of positives which are easy to forget. You are presented with the perfect opportunity to achieve a balance between your own life and your relationship; the separation will naturally prevent you from losing your own identity to your partner’s. You won’t wake up one day and suddenly wonder where the hell all your own hobbies and life went.

Maintain closeness and connect over your experiences by making regular time to call: maybe once a day, or every other day – but be spontaneous! Suddenly see something that reminds you of a hilarious inside joke? Give them a call! This means you can really throw yourself into life at Cambridge, guilt free. Get creative and find new experiences you can share at a distance – you may not be able to bring your partner along to the university orchestra, but you can definitely watch a film on Netflix party together.

Get creative and find new experiences you can share at a distance.

You say he’s a chef – why not cook a meal together over facetime? You and your flatmates can only benefit from his cooking expertise. And finally, cherish all your dates during term; your partner won’t be part and parcel of day to day student life, but maybe that’s a blessing in disguise. Every time you see them it will feel like a wonderful opportunity to forget the stress of the Cambridge workload, and reconnect with the person you love – and that’s a pretty special feeling.