Couples Advice: Andrea Mauzy and Andrew Feigenbaum

The minute Andrew Feigenbaum saw Andrea Mauzy, he immediately thought she was cute. A mutual friend thought the two would instantly hit it off, so when they were introduced to each other at Andrew’s fraternity house at the beginning of the fall semester, sparks flew. “When we first met we were definitely flirting back and forth,” Andrew, a junior says. “It was really, really nice, nothing felt forced at all.”

After spending time during the day hanging out at one another’s houses or driving around town, going on late night food runs to McDonalds, the two decided to take their relationship to the next level and be exclusive. But not before Andrew revealed to Andrea that he would be studying abroad this spring semester. “He told me he was studying abroad in Japan and I just kind of went with it,” says Andrea, a junior from Kansas City. “That was at the beginning when we first met, but I soon started to like him so I didn’t really care anymore.” The night before the two parted ways, Andrew cooked Andrea a homemade meal— macaroni and cheese— and they watched one of her favorite movies, Little Rascals. Although this was the last night they would be physically together for eight months, they both were determined to make their relationship work no matter how far apart they were from one another.

Dating Tip: Keep in touch by whatever means possible, and always be patient with your partner.

It has been a month and a half since Andrea and Andrew have been in the same room, ate a meal together or cuddled on a couch, but thanks to Skype, they are still able to not only talk, but see each other every day. The two are constantly communicating, whether it’s texting about their days or saying ‘sweet dreams’ over Skype at night, proving that even the distance can’t seem to stop them from flourishing as a couple.

Being apart has really taught them how to be patient with one another. “When you are away, you have your own separate lives,” Andrew says. “Until I leave for Japan in April, I am with my family in Boca Raton, Fla. and Andrea has class, so we have to be really patient and really flexible with each other.” While the couple is adjusting to being states apart, they will soon have another barrier to cross; being half-way around the world from one another. When that time comes, they will continue to manage their relationship in stride, and prove to themselves that although they miss each other, they can still make it work. As history has proved time and time again, distance makes the heart grow fonder.

• Updated Feb. 8, 2012 at 8:27 pm