Search Results: too close or too distant

Met a girl on a flight home and felt a deep, instant connection (verbal and nonverbal). Began talking over a few days. Confirmed there was a strong mutual interest. However, she was leaving in two days on a trip out of the country and upon returning would immediately start her senior year of college up in the Bay Area. I am five years out of college and working near LA. She wants to stay in touch, but is afraid of dating long-distance and getting too far in when we are geographically distant and busy with school/work.

Since I don’t want to pass up the connection we had, what is the best way to stay in touch? Contact her every month or so to keep a friendly relationship alive? Try to meet up in the Bay Area (I drive/fly there a few times a year) or when she is on break at home near LA? Drop communication entirely and accept that if it’s meant to be, our paths would cross in the future?

Most importantly, I want both of us to be able to live our lives and pursue our personal goals without making an unreasonable sacrifice to get to know each other better. I would prefer to develop a relationship in-person. We both acknowledge the possibility that we may not even live in close proximity once she graduates in 9 months. Also, I am currently dating other people in close proximity, but have not felt the same spark with anyone else.