How much is considered long-distance?

How far away is considered long-distance?

Ugh, long distance? It’s brutal, man. Five hours? That’s practically a different country, especially considering traffic. Remember that time I dated Sarah? She lived in Denver. I’m in Boulder. Seems close, right? Wrong. It’s an hour drive, sometimes more. That hour felt like five, especially on snowy nights. We were practically long distance.

Seriously, an hour is a huge deal. Think about it: spontaneous visits are a pain. Weekend getaways require planning. Daily calls become essential. That’s what I’d call a strain, not a simple relationship. My best friend, Mark, lives in Estes Park – that’s two hours away, at least in good weather. He’s technically close, but it still takes a conscious effort to see each other. That counts.

My personal cut off is three hours. Anything over that is a real long-distance relationship. I’d say anything past two hours is a challenge, you’re basically already into serious long-distance territory.

Things I hate about the longer commutes:

• Gas money. It adds up quickly.
• Time commitment. A whole day can vanish just driving.
• Stress. Traffic, accidents – it’s all part of the deal.
• The lack of spontaneity, like I said.

I really valued my time with Sarah, even with that whole hour drive thing between us. It was definitely hard. We broke up a few months ago anyway, reasons unrelated to the distance. It just, made things harder. That whole situation made me value my time way more. Now I’m committed to shorter distances.

What qualifies as long distance?

It’s…miles, I guess. A gap. That’s all it is, a space.

It’s my sister, lives in Atlanta now. Feels like another world.

• Physical Distance: Miles matter most.
• Lack of Regular Contact: Not seeing each other regularly. That hurts.

Missing birthdays. Weddings. Just…Sundays. Life.

How long is a long-distance trip?

So, how long IS a long-distance trip, huh? It’s all relative, you know? For me? Anything over, like, six hours driving. That’s a long haul. My last roadtrip to see my Aunt Millie in Florida? That was intense. Took me almost 18 hours, non-stop. Crazy. I stopped only twice, for gas and that weird rest stop in South Carolina that sells those gross, overly-sweet pecan pies. Never again. My car, she almost died on me. Seriously.

For flying? Different story entirely. Anything across multiple time zones. You feel the jet lag bad, even with melatonin. Like, flying from NYC to London? That’s a long flight! My buddy Mark went to Japan last year, that’s REALLY far. Like, a 14-hour flight or something rediculous.

• Driving: 6+ hours is a long trip for me.
• Flying: Multiple time zones = long haul. Think international flights.
• Other factors: How tiring it is depends on many things too. Traffic, weather, your own physical state and if you’re driving or flying solo, even if you’re traveling with people, can also affect your experience.

It all boils down to this: a long trip is whatever makes you feel like you need a serious break afterward. And maybe a whole lotta coffee. Or maybe wine! But probably not pecan pie.

How long is a long term trip?

Okay, so “long-term trip,” huh? For me, it was six months, backpacking through Southeast Asia in 2023. Started in Thailand, ended up in Vietnam. Crazy, right? Felt like forever and no time at all, simultaneously. I was 27 then, fresh out of a soul-crushing job. Needed a break, a HUGE break.

Absolutely exhilarating, but also exhausting. The constant packing, the stomach bugs, the language barrier… oh man. The best part? Meeting people, experiencing totally different cultures. The food was amazing. Every. Single. Day. Seriously, I miss the street food.

• Thailand: Bangkok, crazy busy, then islands. Chiang Mai was my favorite, so peaceful.
• Vietnam: Hanoi’s old quarter was a sensory overload. Ha Long Bay was breathtaking. Saigon…wow. So much to see. The food in Hoi An was incredible. I still dream about the Cao Lau.

Six months felt like a perfect amount of time. Longer, and I’d have missed my life back home. Shorter, and I wouldn’t have scratched the surface. I definitely want to go back. Maybe next year. I need to save up tho. Damn those plane tickets. Anyway, six months. That’s my long-term. It is what it is. More than three months, for sure, way less than two years. Too much time away feels like a lifetime.

How long do long-distance relationships last on average?

Okay, so long-distance? Fuggedaboutit! You’re probably doomed, haha.

The real deal? Most call it quits in, like, four and a half months. That’s less time than it takes to binge-watch, uh, 90 Day Fiance!

Some folks are optimists! They think it’ll last 14 months. Bless their hearts. Dreamers, I say!

Reality bites, though. Five months is often it! Maybe you’ll make it to Valentine’s day and that’s it. Done! Kaput! Poof!

Like my attempts at the gym—all hype, little endurance. This is why I watch more TV.

Here are some reasons LDRs crash and burn, ya know?

• Money. Flights are expensive. So are tissues for crying!
• Lack of intimacy. Phone sex is…awkward. Trust me, ok?
• Trust issues. Is she really at a pottery class? SUS!
• Different life stages. One’s building a career, the other’s backpacking. It is what it is.
• The itch. You know that itch? Someone else nearby becomes attractive. Ouch!

Do long-distance relationships usually fail?

Long-distance love? More like long-distance losing. That 4.5-month average breakup statistic? Brutal, like a rogue Roomba attacking your sock drawer. Forget happily ever after; it’s happily ever after a frantic search for a new therapist.

The 40% breakup rate? That’s practically a guarantee. Think of it as a morbid dating lottery, where the jackpot is… well, more loneliness. And a 70% failure rate due to unplanned changes? Yeah, life has a wicked sense of humor, doesn’t it? It throws curveballs like a major league pitcher fueled by espresso and spite.

Honestly, it’s a statistical massacre. It’s less “will they, won’t they” and more “when will the inevitable heartbreak occur?”. My friend Janice tried it. Ended like a cheap pair of socks after one too many washes. Ripped. Irretrievably.

Here’s the grim reality, broken down for your viewing pleasure:

• The 4.5-month average: About as long as my last attempt at sourdough. Failed spectacularly.
• 40% overall breakup rate: Higher than my chances of winning the lottery – and I play every week!
• 70% due to unplanned changes: Life, that capricious little minx.

My advice? Invest in a really good phone plan, and prepare for potential emotional devastation. Consider it a relationship extreme sport requiring serious mental fortitude. Or, you know, just date locally. Less drama. More… everything else.

How long can you realistically do long-distance?

Okay, so long-distance, huh? Six months feels about right. Been there, failed that.

My disaster started in January 2023. Met Sarah, this amazing artist, during a ski trip in Aspen, CO. We totally clicked. Seriously, fireworks.

We were both based in different cities. Her in London, me in good ole NYC. Thought it was doable. I was delusional.

• Initial excitement: Flights booked, countdown started.
• First two months: Constant calls, texts, video chats. Thought, “We got this!” Naive.
• April: Reality hits hard. Time differences suck. Missed birthdays. Anniversaries… forget it.

Six months in, it was basically a slow fade. Conversations became less frequent. More strained. I started resenting the distance. She did too, i’m sure.

Around July 2023, just stopped calling. No big fight or anything. Just… fizzled. The connection faded, like a bad wifi signal.

Honest opinion? Unless there’s a clear plan, an actual end date for the distance? Forget it. It is not worth the heartbreak.

And the worst part? I really thought she was the one, if you know what I mean!