Marianna Gilbert

Going the Distance

By: Dana Kamenz

Photos by: Sophia LeBel

Sitting in a lecture at summer camp, Marianna Gilbert receives a text. It’s from her mom, and it reads “Guess what came in the mail today.” Accompanying this text, was a picture of a letter.

“Are you freaking kidding me?” is all that the elated Bothell High School junior can think to reply back with. She had been expecting this letter for weeks, ever since her boyfriend David went to basic training.

Despite the distance, Gilbert is trying to maintain a strong relationship with her boyfriend.

They began dating back in April. David asked “Prom?” on a piece of notebook paper taped to a Lucky Charms box, Gilbert’s favorite cereal. While this may sound like a typical high school fling, both David and Gilbert believe that they are far more serious about their relationship than their peers.

“We’re both really committed to each other,” says Gilbert, “He’s so much more mature than other high schoolers.”

It was easy for them to stay close when they both went to Bothell High School. But now that David has graduated and gone to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, it will take a lot more effort to keep from drifting apart.

Perhaps it’s due to the effort that is required, but long distance relationships tend to be given a worse reputation than high school flings.

There is a “negative stigma around long distance relationships,” says Gilbert. She is frustrated at how people tend to dismiss her and David’s connection because they’re both young.

One assumption that people make about young relationships is that they’re only based on face value. What possible reasons could teenagers have to remain faithful when their partner is across the nation, or even the globe?

For David and Gilbert, the answer is obvious.

David’s family would have struggled to pay for traditional college. He is the youngest of four kids, so he joined the Army to receive an education without draining his resources.

He plans to train in culinary and mechanical skills to guarantee a steady career in the future. He wants himself and Gilbert to be financially supported, a goal that Gilbert greatly appreciates.

With David being so devoted to his goal, Gilbert has the motivation to stay dedicated to her own as well: To not let distance drive them apart.

There are mixed feelings about long distance relationships. Some perceive them as no different from any other relationship, while many doubt that both partners can remain loyal. To Gilbert, this doubt has no actual basis.

“They don’t really know how strong our relationship is,” says Gilbert, “They just make assumptions about what we go through.”