Long distance relationships are hard. It’s certainly not easy to feel connected to your partner 100% of the time when they are so far away from you. Whether it’s a few hours and you only see one another on the weekend, or it’s across the country and you only get to spend time together every few months, it’s tough. But bless the smartphone. There are some really fun games to play over text that can help you feel connected to your partner, regardless of how far apart you are.
Find a shared game.
Yes, like an actual game. There are some great apps that can help you connect with your partner—even ones you can play throughout the day. Remember when Draw Something was all the rage? Draw Something is absolutely still an app that you can have a great time with. Download the game and play throughout the day, at night, and whenever you can. There’s even a small chat feature that can help you feel even more connected to your person, regardless of how far away you are. Other suggestions: Chess, Monopoly, Tic Tac Toe, Words With Friends, Trivia Crack, and Trivial Pursuit. On some smartphones, these games are readily available within your messaging platform, which means you don’t even have to exit your conversation.
Take some silly quizzes.
There’s nothing like a Buzzfeed quiz to help you feel connected. These days, there are what feels like billions of online quizzes that you can take. It’s a fun way to pass the time when you’re bored at work, but it’s also a great way to compare results with your partner and have a great laugh. Do you know which state you actually belong in based on your taste in Marvel movies? Or which Parks and Rec character is your best friend based on your choice in pizza toppings? Quizzes like these are absolutely silly, but it can be really fun to play together. Text each other the link and get to quizzing.
Play 20 questions.
A game that’s completely easy to play and doesn’t require a download is the classic game of 20 questions. One of you can pick a person, place, or thing (or whatever you’d like) and give the other person 20 chances to guess it. An they can only ask yes or no questions! The game is so simple, but always very fun. It’s also a game you can play throughout the day. (A bonus: you can also make it a sexy 20 questions for extra fun.)
Make an ongoing bucket list.
Creating a bucket list is one of the best ways to feel connected to your partner. Thinking about all of the wonderful things you two will be able to do in the future is a really great way to remind yourself that there’s an end in sight for how hard this has been. Start the bucket list by each sharing one thing you can’t wait to do with one another. You can make it a morning or nightly ritual and continue it every day or week until you see each other next.
Ask each other real questions
There are a lot of thought-provoking questions out there or you can come up with your own. At night, get settled in with a glass of wine and your phone and text each other questions that are a bit unusual for a text message. Send him a text that says something like, “Which is worse, failing or never trying?” You’ll be surprised at what deep conversation some of these texts will create. You can always look up “Table Topics” questions or come up with your own.
Play Would You Rather.
Would You Rather can be light-hearted, serious, or sexy. It’s really the perfect game, especially if you’re feeling a bit lonely or disconnected from your partner. “Would you rather find true love or be endlessly wealthy?” “Would you rather know the date or cause of your death?” “Would you rather never be able to eat pizza again or only be able to eat pizza for the rest of your life?”
This game is highly customizable, or if you aren’t feeling creative, you can check out the official website. And yes, there are sexy versions of this game online as well.
Create your own romantic story
A fun thing to do is write a story together over text. You can start the tale by sending a paragraph or even just the first sentence and let him or her take it over from there. Pass the story along, sentence by sentence, or paragraph by paragraph, until you’ve created something together. It’s a great way to pass the time and also create something sweet and romantic (or sensual and racy—whatever your style) together.
Successfully navigating the hardships in a long distance relationship is admirable. We’re lucky to live in the day and age of smartphones, text messages, and easy access to the internet to help ease the blow of being apart. Get creative and have some fun to hold you over until you have a sweet reunion with your loved one.
