University Long Distance Relationship

My boyfriend and I have been dating almost 3 years. We dated all through high school and then we went to universities on opposite sides of the country. We decided that we are trying long distance and we both were like “if it works it works, if it doesn’t then it doesn’t”. But it’s so fucking hard. Everyone says it’s hard but I never realized how awful it would feel. We went from seeing each other every day to being separated for 4 months at a time. I never realized how many little things I could miss about him :(( I’m a student athlete and he’s in a very competitive and gruelling program so visiting isn’t really an option for us either.

He also lacks some confidence so I’m struggling with communicating with him about how I’m feeling over the phone or FaceTime because I don’t want him to take anything I say the wrong way because I can’t physically be there to reassure him.

Any advice or reassurance is very welcome.

Please don’t come for me for being in a long distance high school relationship, I know they’re all doomed