The end of the semester is fast approaching. Well, almost, anyway — and the fate of relationships created during the past school year must ultimately be decided in the next few months.

Perhaps you already experienced this during your senior year of high school, like I did. I too had to figure out my relationship situation prior to graduation. My choice?

The long-distance relationship.

Although some feel long-distance relationships are a recipe for disaster for your emotions, they can work if proper consideration is put into them.

Sure, once you’re separated, the phrase, “out of sight, out of mind” begins to infiltrate your brain, and no longer do you absolutely have to put effort into ignoring the gorgeous guy on central campus.

This is difficult for most, but others have the drive to do anything to make the relationship they feel will stand the test of time work out in the end.

How can your fairy-tale relationship end when you’re miles apart? Communication and trust are the two most important things in a long-distance relationship, and if not valued they will ultimately break your bond.

Andrea Beatty, a junior in agricultural studies, knows all too much on this topic — she, too, has committed herself to a long-distance relationship. “My boyfriend lives in Illinois, we attended the same high school, and we both didn’t want to end it just because I was leaving for school,” she said.

She knows how important the communication in her relationship is, and knows that without it, she and her boyfriend may not have made the relationship last so long. “We call each other just about every other day, and I usually try and visit him once every month or so,” says Beatty.

A study done by Dr. Gregory Guldner, author of “Long Distance Relationships: The Complete Guide,” found that 25-40 percent of college students — yes, even ISU students like me — are in long-distance relationships.

Why do we insist on putting ourselves through this emotional hell of separating ourselves from our partners? Perhaps we all hope that someday it will be worth it.

So for those of you who still feel that continuing the relationship is right for you, prepare yourselves for a roller coaster ride.

It isn’t impossible to have a successful relationship, even if you are miles apart. There are a few key things to remember to make it work out in the long run.

The first thing: learn to say goodbye again and again, because this ill becomes the norm as you switch between being together and apart. “I always dread the thought of saying good-bye to him each time I return home,” Beatty said. “Even though we spend most of the weekend together, it’s always difficult spending those last few moments with him.”

Talk to each other on a regular basis, which means calling each other and sending each other letters. Yes, I did in fact say letters; these are more personal than an e-mail can ever be. Keeping the communication lines open while you are apart can truly strengthen your relationship.

Another way to communicate: get a webcam for your computer if you don’t already have one. Actually getting the opportunity to see your loved one will indeed help you cope with the miles that separate the two of you.

Trust, as mentioned previously, is another key component of a successful long-distance relationship. If you cannot trust your partner when you live 10 miles apart, then it will be very difficult when you are separated by hundreds.

Cherish the short moments you have together, but when you are apart, try to keep yourself occupied so that the thought of being apart doesn’t hurt too much.

Whether “out of sight, out of mind” is true or not, it really relies on the effort you put into your relationship. If you want it to work out in the long run, then make sure you give adequate effort and prepare yourselves for the long journey ahead.

So why do students like Beatty put themselves through the ups and downs from heartache to happiness? Well, she says, “The moment you see their face for the first time in a month, I always have the biggest smile on my face, and it makes all moments apart worthwhile because in that moment nothing can bring me down.”

— Justine Hain is a freshman in pre-journalism and mass communication and psychology from Rochester, Minn.