Modern technology has made the world a smaller place. We can video-chat with friends across continents, parents are learning that texting with a signature is extremely annoying, and long-distance couples have become increasingly common. Whether it’s because of technology or moving away for school, some of us will encounter a long-distance situation at one time or another.

Dating someone who lives in another city isn’t exactly a Hollywood romance, but the same technology that made this world a smaller place is making these relationships easier on everyone.

Four-hour phone calls and obsessive texting are no longer the only ways to keep your relationship going.

If you’re living on your own in a new town, you probably eat a lot of meals by yourself. Why not have a Skype date while you eat? You can each cook your meals, sit down and practically eat with each other. You may not notice but eating alone can really bring down your spirits over time. So not only is eating with your loved one a cheesy fun date idea, it can also help to raise your spirits, which will no doubt make things easier for both of you. The same can be said for watching movies. Syncing up a bad movie and making fun of it together is a great way to keep the mood light while killing a few hours.

For everyday communication, texting can be a little dull and developers have been making apps for just this reason. These dating apps aren’t for singles looking to hook up, but are great for couples that are already together.

Couple

One app in particular, Couple, does a fine job of this. While it lets couples text each other, they can also send a little sticker that says “Thinking of you.” It’s a great way to brighten your partner’s day while you’re both busy with school or work. You can also draw pictures together, and it has a nifty little thing called a thumb kiss. When your partner touches his/her phone, a little thumbprint appears. As the thumbprints move together, the screen turns red and the thumbs kiss. It’s a dorky way to make each other smile while feeling a physical connection.

Love Palz/Lovense

Speaking of physical connection, this is something that long-distance relationships sorely lack, and technology is once again looking to fill the gap. Companies like Love Palz and Lovense offer smart-toys, which use phones and computers to interact with each other according to how your partner is using theirs. Performances can even be saved and loaded onto the toy for later when your partner is away. Putting the control in each other’s hands adds a whole new dimension to phone sex, while giving couples a better sexual outlet to avoid being unfaithful.

While the technology advances are making great leaps for couples, let’s not forget the most basic form of long-distance communication. I’m talking about good ol’ fashioned letter writing. With so much texting, this is a format that’s often forgotten about. Love letters and long thoughtful messages aren’t as common as they used to be.

Letters are a physical item that your partner can keep and reread when things are tough. You can fill them with funny drawings and even spritz them with your perfume. Scent is one of the strongest memory triggers and can bring all those happy moments rushing back when you’re in a slump.

At the end of the day, the best thing for keeping a long-distance relationship going is variety. Just like normal relationships, people get bored when they fall into the same old routine day in and day out. Although the distance makes variety a challenge, modern innovation is continually improving and diversifying every day. Who knows how close tomorrow will bring you together.