Couple celebrates first anniversary 1,000 miles apart
Karly Sias said she refuses to let the 1,000 miles between her boyfriend and her get in the way of their relationship.
The Cedar Springs senior met her boyfriend, Commerce senior Andrew Roeser, in February 2011 at a date auction.
“I bought him for $40,” she said jokingly.
That Friday night, they watched a movie at a friend’s house. When they left, she told Roeser it could qualify as their first date, but he said that it wasn't nice enough to count. The two went to Red Lobster for their first date.
“From there, we started to get to know each other,” she said. “We started dating March 27, 2011."
Sias has been living in Keystone, South Dakota working as an intern at Mount Rushmore National Memorial since December 2011, while Roeser has stayed in Mount Pleasant.
“It’s kind of hard being away, not going to lie,” she said.
Roeser said distance is the hardest part, not being able to physically see each other.
“Timing is hard,” he said. “Trying to get our schedules to match up to talk or Skype is difficult.”
Sias said the two reserve a time every Sunday to have a “Skype date,” the only day their schedules allow them to have time.
“It's difficult sometimes, considering I work during the day, and he works at night,” she said.
He said the two text during the day to stay in communication.
The couple both said it was hard in the beginning but easier as time has gone on.
“I’ve never been in a relationship for this long, this far away,” she said. “You just get used to it.”
Sias said staying close with friends and being social as much as possible makes things easier.
“You get used to it and get in the swing of things,” he said. “Once you get into a new rhythm, it’s easier.”
Roeser said the biggest thing in a long-distance relationship is trust.
“You have to be able to completely trust each other,” he said. “When I can’t get ahold of her, I need to realize she’s busy.”
He said the long-distance relationship has strengthened their communication.
Sias said they haven’t had any problems, other than being sad because of not being able to see each other.
She said she misses him most when she sees other couples.
“Valentine’s Day was pretty hard, because I saw other couples walking around,” she said. “It’s the little moments that I miss him the most.”
Roeser traveled to Keystone over Spring Break.
“When I went there to see her, it was great,” he said. “But coming back to school that first week was the worst.”
He said he just got used to seeing her every day and had to get adjusted to the distance all over again.
“We’re hoping to see each other half-way and drive at the end of the semester,” he said.
Sias will be back in August. The couple couldn't celebrate their anniversary with a fancy dinner, but they did talk on the phone.
“We’re taking it one day at a time,” he said. “We don’t look too far ahead.”
