For me, long distance relationships have been a major aspect of my college experience. Not only with my boyfriend, but with my parents, my grandma, and my best friends. It's been anything but easy, however, it's made me a much stronger person.

I never would have considered myself an independent person, and a lot of times I'm still very dependent. But being away from the ones I love the most has changed my life in some beautiful ways. I've learned a lot more about myself because the people who've always defined me aren't around most of the time. I'm finally able to define myself. It's made me grow in to the person I've always wanted to be because I had to make my own decisions, make new friends, and experience different things.

Also with LDRs, there is always, always something to look forward to. It doesn't matter if I get to see them 3 days from now or 3 weeks from now, I have something to be excited about. And if I don't get to see them anytime soon, I get to look forward to a FaceTime call or an "I miss you" Snapchat.

Being far away from those special people has actually made me love them even more. Distance really does make the heart grow fonder. When I do get to see them, my heart couldn't be any happier. That first hug might be the very best part of reunions.

Of course, no matter how many silver linings you paint, the hurt will never completely go away. There are still nights when I want my mom so much I have to remind myself that no, I can't skip town on a Tuesday night to go see her. There are still days when I cry just because my boyfriend has to go home after being with me all weekend. And there are still days where I look at pictures of my best friends, wishing I could go back in time to when we lived 8 minutes away. There are reasons why I have to call 5 different people when anything important happens...because they all live over 100 miles away. But that's why you have to build a new life for yourself, with new important people that you couldn't live without.

My point is, college has put some distance between me and some very important people, but it's okay. I know I won't live far away from them forever, and it is giving me some time to grow by myself.That doesn't mean that I don't miss them everyday that I'm gone.

"When two hearts are meant for each other, no distance is too far, no time is too long, and no other love can break them apart."