Dear Dr. Date,

My girlfriend and I have been dating since the beginning of fall semester and are pretty much obsessed with each other. We live on the same floor of our dorm, so we sleep in each other’s rooms every night, despite one of us almost always rolling off the twin bed. We go to meals together, go out on the weekends together and are even about to sign a lease for a one-bedroom apartment next week. I don’t think we’ve spent more than a day apart.

However, Christmas break is fast approaching. While I would normally be excited to go home and see friends, the month-long absence from the love of my life is already eating me up inside. With nothing to do but sit around and mourn her absence, I’m dreading leaving school. She lives in Wisconsin and I’m in Minnesota — while it’s only a state away, it feels like a continent. 

I’ve tried bringing this up with her, but she doesn’t seem too worried, saying we can Skype throughout the day. Meanwhile, I’m so scared of leaving her that I’m considering sneaking on the bus with her in a suitcase! What can I do that doesn’t involve stowing away?

Sincerely,

Attached At The Hip

Dear Attached At The Hip,

While your love is … sweet, it’s also very worrying. It seems like you might have some problems beyond just loving your girlfriend too much. What are you going to do next summer?!

When it comes to winter break, your girlfriend is right — Skype is a godsend. You probably know one or two people at college in a long distance relationship, so ask them how they connect with their significant other. Even if you can’t be physically together, phone calls and online movie dates make a difference. If the distance is really killing you, Wisconsin isn’t too far of a drive — surprise her with a visit for a few days. It’ll give you an opportunity to meet the parents, which is probably a good idea considering you’ll be moving in with her. Treat this as a practice for summer break and cross your fingers that she doesn’t get an internship across the country or something. Happy FaceTiming! 

Sincerely,

Dr. Date