COVID-19 causing unexpected long-distance relationships for UD students
Lauren Eimer and Michael Turner, University of Dayton seniors, have to work to make a long-distance relationship work during the coronavirus pandemic. Photo of winding road courtesy of Flickr.
Julia Bonfiglio
Contributing Writer
A little over two years ago Lauren Eimer and Michael Turner met at the University of Dayton Recreational Center for a personal training session.
Eimer had signed up for a few classes and was randomly assigned to work with Turner who was hired as a personal trainer by the university.
It wasn’t long before the two started dating.
Eimer and Turner are both seniors at UD and live within a few feet of each other on campus.
They enjoy hanging out with their friends, studying together, and going on dates.
However, it isn’t always easy for Eimer and Turner to be together.
Eimer lives in St. Louis, while Turner lives in Centerville, Ohio.
A six-hour car ride separates the two of them, and with the coronavirus pandemic stopping non-essential travel for many states, visiting one another has become increasingly difficult.
Long-distance relationships can be a struggle for even the most dedicated and established couples.
With limited knowledge concerning when the pandemic will end, or when non-essential travel will become possible again, Eimer and Turner are doing their best to stay connected.
“You have to go into it with the mindset that it is not going to be super easy,” Turner said. “It’s important that both people in the relationship put in work to make the relationship successful.”
The couple lives by a set of rules that help them to be happy and have a sense of togetherness during their time apart.
The secret to a strong and healthy relationship, according to Eimer and Turner, is to be as open and honest as possible.
“Communication is key,” Eimer said. “Try to communicate every day and to at least visit each-other once a month. Most importantly you must realize that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. If you want the relationship to last through long-distance, then don’t give up even when it gets hard.”
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