Free Activities For Long-Distance Couples

By Diane Kollman on August 30, 2012

According to the Center for the Study of Long-Distance Relationships, roughly 25 to 40 percent of college students are in a long-distance romantic relationship at any given time. Maintaining topics for conversation is a problem in any relationship, but this becomes even more problematic when the distance makes the couple feel limited in the activities that they can do. To emotionally connect, long-distance partners must rely on verbal communication. While it is common to stop asking your partner questions about themselves after the “getting-to-know-you” phase of your relationship, the key to avoiding relationship boredom is to find activities that you can experience together and that will naturally encourage conversation. By talking to your partner, you will not only learn more about his or her interests, character, and desires, but you will also begin to define your own identity. Here are a number of free activities you may want to consider:

Photo from Flickr.com by Angel Miller

1. YouTube Videos: Share your favorite vlog by Natalie Tran or be equally awed by the latest recipe from Epic Meal Time. Watch videos of cats, things blowing up, stand-up comedy, parkour and Japanese commercials. Bonding over the weirdness of the internet opens up whole new doors for conversation. Remember to try to start your videos at the same time.

2. Music: Use YouTube or Playlist to share songs. Express your feelings through sappy love songs by Foreigner. Get to know each other’s favorite playlist and expand your own music library. Be open-minded and try new music together, especially genres or styles that seem eccentric, such as acapella solos or metal meets Call Me Maybe.

3. TV Shows and Movies: Many sites provide free full episodes of television shows, such as Hulu, CBS, ABC, USA, and FOX. The Colbert Report and The Daily Show also provide full episodes on their websites. If a new movie sequel is coming out, watch the whole series and go see the sequel in theaters when you’re together in person again.

4. Share Pictures and Documents: The wonderful free software called Dropbox is easy to install and enables you to create a folder that can be viewed on other computers. Think of it as replacing the need for a USB Flash Drive. If a couple creates a mutual account, they can link the folder between themselves so that they can view the same content seamlessly. Simply drag photos, music, videos, and documents into the folder and those files will quickly send to those linked to the folder. One useful idea is to keep a daily schedule or to-do list in Dropbox so that you and your partner can use it to plan times to call or Skype throughout the day.

5. Games: There are plenty of online two-player games out there. Try Bananagrams, Draw My Thing, Chess, Checkers, jigsaw puzzles, cards, Words With Friends, and MMORPGs. Make your own crosswords and word searches for each other. There are other games that you don’t need the internet to play, like Twenty Questions, Truth or Dare, Never Have I Ever, and Would You Rather. If you’re in the mood for a more philosophical discussion, take a look at some thought-provoking moral dilemmas.

I know that not all of these ideas will sound appealing to certain tastes, but they can function as a springboard for other creative activities. Read more suggestions in the second part of my article, More Free Activities for Long-Distance Couples.