In the summer of 2011, two Californian high school sweethearts graduated, facing a decision they could no longer ignore. One was going off to college in Seattle while the other headed to Eugene.

With a heavy heart, William Beare, now a junior at the University of Oregon, broke up with his girlfriend of 18 months because he felt it was the responsible thing to do. It was a decision he would later regret.

Months later, he sat in his dorm room, overwhelmed with the sudden change and lack of friends in his new town. He called her up, asking to get back together. She hesitantly forgave him, but the damage was done. Had he stayed with her in the first place, the outstanding relationship issues they dealt with throughout the next year may not have existed.

At a young and impressionable age, it’s hard not to take to heart the advice people will throw at you, especially about relationships. Many people will tell you long-distance relationships don’t work, but is that really the case?

“I’ve tried it before. Rough stuff,” said Rachel Troiano, a junior at the university. “I never, ever thought I would be in a long-distance relationship. Mooning over someone who is super far away always seemed like a waste of time to me.”

On the other hand, Stephanie Judson, a psychology intern at the University Counseling and Testing Center said, “One study found that partners in a long-distance relationship were more likely to have greater optimism about their relationship surviving, compared to those entering a relationship that wasn’t long distance.”

According to Statistic Brain, 32.5 percent of college relationships are long distance, 40 percent of couples in long-distance relationships don’t work out and 75 percent of engaged couples have been in a long-distance relationship.

As you can see, relationships are not black and white. Each one is different. So for someone to tell you that your relationship will or will not work out is naive, to say the least.

Nonetheless, many students go into it with certain expectations based on what they’ve heard, and this often becomes the relationship’s fate.

So how does one approach this tough decision? First you need to sit down with your partner to discuss what lies ahead. Money, availability, travel, schedules, time differences and communication are just a few things that should be considered. Mutual effort is often an issue in long-distance relationships, so commit to a certain amount of effort on each end.

Additionally, keep in mind the relationship issues that are already present. Judson has worked with many students struggling in long-distance relationships and said that from her experience, “Existing difficulties in the relationship can be aggravated by physical distance and decreased ‘together’ time. On the flip side, it can also mask difficulties that may not arise until you and your partner are together.’”

With that being said, try to consider the relationship as a whole before attempting the long distance. Otherwise, you may end up feeling like you wasted your time.

In the words of Beare, “It has to be something special.”

“Have a deal, and stick with that deal,” Beare said. “An agreed-upon way that things will work is vital. Otherwise, you’re left waiting by the phone.”

He also admits that one of the outstanding problems in his first relationship was jealousy, which is common, especially during college. In fact, Judson said, “A common struggle is coming to terms with the reality that your partner will be spending a large portion of their social life with other people, and not you.”

To cope with this problem, Stacie Fishell, another psychology intern in the University Counseling and Testing Center, said talking openly about your feelings is crucial. “Unfortunately, even with the best technology, long distance communication doesn’t offer the same non-verbal interactions.”

After considering the hard work that may lie ahead, ask yourself if it’s worth it. Weigh the pros and cons and take your own feelings into consideration.

If you decide to try it, take Dylan Summers’ word for it, an Eastern Oregon University graduate who happily dated his Portland girlfriend for three years during college. He said the hard work was definitely worth it. “Regardless of distance, it was nice to have somebody I loved to confide in during those hectic times.”