– Gina Harper contributed to this report.

The excitement of Fresher’s Week is over and the hard work is about to begin. You have found your room, been drinking with your housemates and made a few other friends along the way.

However, there’s one thing missing… your partner. They’re a hundred miles away in the same situation; just about to start their first week at university, nursing the hangover from their last fresher’s night out at a different university.

Settling into university life whilst maintaining a long distance relationship can, at times, be very difficult. Here are a few hints and tips to keep things strong during your first year at uni:

Honesty is the best policy

Truthfully telling your other half when you’ve been placed in a compromising situation and someone has tried chatting you up will always go down better than trying to hide this information from them.

The truth will always emerge. Trust is the most important thing in a long distance relationship and is essential to keep it going.

Communication is key

If you’ve had a bad day and find yourself missing your other half, just give them a call. If you have a hectic timetable, set a time and day each week when you’re both free and make that phone call. Talking to each other for just five minutes each week will make you both feel a lot better.

Get on that train

Depending on the distance between you, agree on a weekend every other month to visit. Taking it in turns to visit each other means that there is a joint responsibility to keep the relationship working. During the first visit set the date of the next time you will meet, this will give you both something to count down to.

Become a wingman

Living with people who lead a single lifestyle can often make things worse whilst being in a long distance relationship, especially when you’re missing your partner. On a night out, focus your energies on finding your single friend someone. Convincing people to date your friend will not only give your friend a boost but will also prevent you from feeling lonely.

Stay positive

Believing that a relationship can survive university is essential. Planning ahead and looking forward to the next long Christmas or summer break together can help you concentrate on studying during the times when you’re not together. Making them your reward for completing your essay on time is always a good incentive to get things done.