"Will this even work in the long run?"

"Do I trust them enough to not go all Tristan Thompson on me?"

"Can I go that long without sex?"

First and foremost, let's just admit it: long-distance relationships s*ck. No one in their right functioning mind would deliberately choose to be miles away from their beloved partner unless the circumstances force them to.

Geographically challenged couples know all too well the agony of lagged video calls, the lingering frustration of wanting physical touch during the low parts of your days, the stinging jealousy piercing through your heart whenever you witness a couple being obnoxiously sweet in public... you get the idea. 

To really dig through the unfiltered realities of long-distance relationships beyond lazy romanticization and tasteless mockery, we've asked a few Malaysians who are currently in such a relationship, or have been in the past; this one particular question, and we've asked them to be completely honest. 

Question: If someone confides in you about wanting to start a long-distance relationship, what honest advice would you give?

Peter K:

I'd say "It's not for me, and if you have the slightest doubt about yourself in a long-distance relationship, then it's not for you too."

Alia Hariz:

I would tell them it's a long and uneasy journey, you'll have hard and tough times but it will all be worth it if you are sure with your partner. Be ready to communicate any disturbing feelings, stay emotionally connected and be open about your thoughts, feelings, and basically everything. After all, it's about communication and comprehension.

N. Najiha:

Make sure you have the time, money, and commitment to make it work. Applies to short distances as well but especially for LDR since travel takes money, and extra commitment is needed to make time to care for someone who is not there physically.

M. Qarin:

I would say to them, stay strong and always give each other at least an update about where you go and all. The thing is about LDR, is that it's hard when there's no proper communication. You know what they say, "communication is key " and in long-distance relationships, it is.

A. Razvi:

Be mentally prepared and physically in case it didn't turn out the way you hope for, and miscommunication can lead both parties to have different ideas about the relationship they thought they were having.

A. Dalila:

Only consider it after having a discussion of when meet-ups are going to be. Like is it going to be a once in 2 month kinda thing or what, and to make sure both have established solid trust towards each other. If not, it's going to be a total waste of time and an emotional rollercoaster. No one needs that.

M. Syukri: 

Do it only if you're up for what's in store for the both of you.

S. Syakira:

Run bestie. 

Judging by the varied responses, there's one common theme that can be concluded about long-distance relationships in general: a successful LDR is heavily dependent on equal efforts exerted by both parties, or it will be doomed to meet its demise. What separates long-distance relationships from conventional ones is the unique challenges that they're forced to face, which couples outside of such relationships are exempted from simply because distance isn't in the equation. 

Lastly, if you're about to consider getting into a long-distance relationship, here's our question to you: 

Would you go through a series of heartbreaks, which distance will undoubtedly entail, just to be with this person?