Search Results: how far do i pursue her

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.

Had this discussion with a friend. He continually gives women 2nd and 3rd chances, while i maintain that a woman who is actually interested in you MAKES time for you in her schedule. To me, if she reschedules within the following 3 days i'll give her the benefit of the doubt that she's not lying, but anything longer than that requires cutting the amount of interaction you had before, leaving the ball in her court and pursuing other leads.

So far, my method has stood me in good stead while his has continually gotten him burnt with time wasters.

What do you guys think?