Growing up, I, like many others in my generation, have always had the world wide web at my fingertips. Especially during high school. I remember receiving numerous, lengthy lectures over internet safety. One of the most important things my mother always harped on was the dangers of talking to people online that I had never met before "in real life." Now that I have graduated high school and in a few short weeks plan to travel across the country to attend college in the fall, nearly every friend I have made this far has been someone I met online. Over the summer, I have discovered 10 amazing benefits of having internet friends.

1. You get to decide what you reveal to these people

One of the best things about having friends online is knowing that there is little to no pressure to impress them. You are in full control of how much they know about you.These people don't have to know the frequency with which you make terrible puns (but of course, they do. Besides, what kind of sick person makes a pun and doesn't tell other people about it?) The point is, your internet friends don't usually know you in real life, so you can choose just how much they know about you and your slightly odd quirks.

2. When the find out embarrassing things about you, it doesn't really matter

When you have online friends, especially with all of today's different social media platforms, it is inevitable that your online friend will find something embarrassing about you. Whether it be unflattering pictures that your friends in real life tagged you in or they find one of the five Twitter fan accounts you made in middle school, it's really not a big deal when they find these cringeworthy things. Chances are, these friends are just as weird as you are and there is a 100 percent chance you can go digging online and find something just as embarrassing of them.

3. There is ALWAYS something to talk about

Unfortunately, we don't get to see our internet friend in real life very often, sometimes never. While this is extremely tragic, some good does come out of it. There is almost always something you and your pal can talk about, starting with "How was your day?" Unlike the friends who you see and hangout with everyday, there are endless things to talk about with you friends online. Even though your friends and family have heard every funny story you have ever told (and they may be tired of listening over and over again), your friends online are a whole new crowd to unleash jokes and funny stories upon.

4. There is ALWAYS someone to talk to

Anyone who has internet friends understands that time zones are simultaneously the best and worst things that come with having friends online. It is incredibly disappointing when it's 11 a.m. on a Tuesday morning and the one person you want to talk to is five hours ahead, and they're busy having a night out with friends. However, don't forget that there is sometimes that wonderful moment when you can't sleep and despite the fact that it is 4 a.m. in Oklahoma, it is only 3 p.m. in Kathmandu so you have someone to call until you get sleepy.

5. You learn a lot from online friends in different countries

Especially your friends who hail from different countries, or even continents. I've learned a lot about various cultures and countries, such as Jamaica, Mauritius, Nepal, Korea, Morocco, El Salvador, and more. Another interesting, and often hilarious thing, is explaining things about the United States to my international friends.

6. You find the most random things to bond over

It may be difficult to find people in real life who share the same interests, passions, and obsessions as you. However, online, it is so easy to find someone who loves the same music as you or can relate to your love for pineapple on pizza. The friends you see every day have likely accepted your odd obsessions, but how lovely is it to find someone who fully understands, embraces, and shares in your weirdness?

7. They share their obsessions with you too

I think the only thing better than unleashing your weirdness on an internet friend is when they unleash theirs onto you. I just think that there is something so sweet about having someone open up to you about the things they care about, whether it be something silly or something serious. I mean everything from music to quantum mechanics or even the meaning of life. It's also really nice to be introduced to different things ideas which you wouldn't have previously been exposed to.

8. Memes

Need I say more? For some reason, internet friends have this uncanny ability to tag you in the dankest memes. Friends online often don't have any mutual friends so there's a really good chance that they've got an entire arsenal of new, funny memes that you haven't seen yet. Besides, it's always funny when a friend who knows you in real life asks why you keep getting tagged in videos of people eating corn off of drills. They don't understand the hilarity, but your internet friend(s) do.

9. Internet friends are always so supportive

I'm not sure how or why this happens but it is almost inevitable that when you're having problems, your friends online will always take your side and be supportive. On the rare occasions that they don't, they have the perfect outside view of even the toughest situations, and they often have the best advice. Regardless of what happens, your internet friends aren't usually close with the other people in your life, so they're always in your corner of life's boxing ring.

10. When you finally get to meet them in real life, it's the absolute best

Here it is. You have spent weeks, months, even years growing close and building a solid friendship with someone you've never even met in person. This person has been with you through the little adventures every day has to offer. They have seen you slaying in your prom pictures, but they've also Skyped with you when you haven't brushed your hair or put on makeup in three days. These people know you so well and there's always so much love when you finally get to meet up in person. I don't think that there is anything quite comparable to meeting your internet friends in real life.

To all of my lovely internet friends, I hope each of you know just how special and important you are to me. I have loved getting to know you and experiencing the things I mentioned above (plus more) and I so look forward to meeting each and every one of you someday!