As an international student, and someone who’s constantly watching friends juggle life across countries, I keep coming back to one question: Why is it so hard to stay connected?
There isn’t just one reason. We’re all busy: classes, work, deadlines, life. It’s normal that it gets harder to keep up. Most families can still talk over dinner and stay in sync.
But what about people who live thousands of kilometers apart?
That’s where it gets complicated. Schedules rarely match, time zones pull people even further apart, and honestly, it’s no surprise that so many long-distance relationships fade after a few months.
Trying to understand this better, I went back to the basics: What actually makes a human connection strong?
Maybe if I answered that, the “how do we keep it?” part would make more sense.
While wandering through YouTube, I found a talk called “The hidden truth about human connection” by Dan Foxx. He basically put into words something most of us already feel deep down but rarely say out loud.
His main message was that we struggle to connect because our ego gets in the way.
We’re stuck in our own perspective instead of actually caring about the other person. Real connection comes when we shift from “What do I get out of this?” to “How can I care for this person?” That’s when relationships deepen.
Listening to him helped me see why connection feels harder today, especially across distance:
1. We treat connection like something we can postpone.
When life gets intense, it’s easy to think, “We’ll catch up later.” But relationships don’t maintain themselves. Without intention, they slowly fade.
2. Technology simulates connection but doesn’t fully deliver it.
Sending reels, emojis, or brief texts feels like staying in touch, but it doesn’t provide the presence or emotional depth we actually crave. Digital contact is convenient… but often shallow.
So how do we preserve connection even from far away?
1.Lead with empathy.
Ask real questions. Listen with care. Make space for someone else’s feelings, not just your own.
2. Be consistent, even in small ways.
Things like a voice message, a short video call, a thoughtful note matter when done with full attention. Presence beats frequency.
3. Choose depth over constant chatter.
One meaningful conversation will strengthen a connection more than a month of random memes and “how was your day?” messages.
Takeaways
Human connection is essential. It’s one of the things that makes life feel meaningful. Dan Foxx’s talk reminded me that distance isn’t the real enemy, disconnection is. And disconnection happens when we stop showing up with honesty, empathy, and intention. This talk felt like the starting point of a bigger exploration for me. I’ll might go deeper into the topic of human connection in my next posts.
I used ChatGPT to check the spelling and grammar of this text
