[PlayingPretend]

I'm in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend of a year - he's in England - so I can understand where you're coming from. It's difficult, being able to see your significant other all of three times a year, and I imagine it's no less difficult being able to see your significant once a week or maybe not even that, so I empathise. I do commend you on not moving in with him, as I feel this is a very mature decision that not many people your age would have made, but you're right - there's a lot that goes in to living with somebody that maybe your boyfriend hadn't considered at the time.

My recommendation would be to busy yourself with friends or with family. I've often found that though hobbies can be helpful, it's even more helpful being out and about with actual company, because that way, you aren't alone regardless of what you're doing. No, it's not going to stop you from missing your boyfriend 100%, but it'll help. It might also help engaging yourselves in more active activities. Have you ever considered taking up a sport or changing up your exercise routine? Not only would it be good for your health and not only would it keep you busy, but it'd also be a way of upping the endorphins that flow through your body. An exercise routine is often recommended for those with depression, and I have seen it positively affect a lot of people on here and in my life outside the internet.

Another thing to consider... Have you ever considered writing letters to your boyfriend? People have called me silly for sending mail to my boyfriend and for being so excited about receiving something in return, especially since there's the internet and the phone and especially seeing as how we talk every night via one (or sometimes both) of these communications. But writing and receiving letters is something that brings me a great deal of joy. When it's sent, it gives us both something to look forward to in the sense one of us is excited to receive and the other is excited to see the partner's reaction; when it's the other person's turn to send a letter, the roles are reversed. This also isn't something we do frequently, so though it could be considered on a regular basis, it's still few and far between enough to keep things exciting. We often include romantic little notes in our deliveries.

I also tend to write a lot of letters that I put into a journal rather than sending. My letter writing is very therapeutic, but then, writing is a hobby I've always deeply connected with. It's a way of expressing my thoughts and my feelings and of putting them down on paper, and it doesn't necessarily have to be something I share to feel better about it. Sometimes I share the whole thing and sometimes I don't share at all and other times I share only a fraction of it, when it helps, so that's something I do to pour my heart out. And as with anything, talking about your feelings or getting them out in some way can go a long way towards making you feel better.

Other than that, I also encourage you to use positive encouragement, for lack of a better way to put it. For example, though you might feel depressed and isolated, remind yourself that you will get to see your boyfriend again, and maybe even remind yourself of how lucky and fortunate you are to be able to love someone that much and to have someone who loves you. One thing that can also help is making a list of things for which you're grateful for, not necessarily just things about your boyfriend, but things in your life in general. It can really start to generate a more positive mindset, and that can also go a long way towards making you feel better.

Best of luck,
Elliotte