"I feel like I have that major part of my life, but I also have my social life here that I'm embracing," he says.

At least Providence is only an hour way, and Bucknor and his girlfriend both live in the same town in Maryland.

Brett A. Barnett '03 is always 3,000 miles away: his girlfriend attends Santa Clara University in California and lives in Seattle, a continent away from Cambridge and his home in New Hampshire.

Barnett and his girlfriend met at a summer program before their senior year in high school. They have been together for a year and a half but have only spent a total of one month together face to face.

"Sure, it's quite a bit of effort," Barnett says, "but not as much effort as having someone here. I can tell her when I have big problems that I need to talk about, but minor things I can deal with on my own and little things don't cause big problems in the relationship."

He tries to lead as normal and active a social life as possible.

"You've got to live life to its fullest," he says. "When I'm here and I'm at a party, I'm there to have fun and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to have fun as long as it doesn't compromise my relationship with my girlfriend."