Going away to college has been the ultimate feat for my best friend and me. We met at church, which is incredibly ironic if you knew the two of us when we're together. We became best friends during her human-poodle phase of wild, curly locks and the era of my Ninja Turtle backpack phase. We met on a retreat when we snuck out and told cookies from the kitchen, and since then we have never left each others' side or stopped eating. That is until August, when we became separated by exactly 737.1 miles. When I left at 5 am to make the 13-hour car ride to Tallahassee from our hometown of Fairfax, Virginia, the last sight I saw was her in my rear-view waving goodbye. That being said, the last six months have been anything but easy. Through all the boy drama, almost-failed classes, and miles and miles apart, we have stayed inseparable, and I know she'll be my best friend for life. If you have a friend like this, you know exactly the feeling that I am talking about. I took the time to nail down what exactly makes a best friend for life, and here's how you know you've got a keeper of a long-distance best friend.

1. She's just as weird as you are

This is an important factor because we become equally embarrassed of each other when we FaceTime without headphones in. One friend can't be astronomically more embarrassing, or it will never work. Sometimes, we make it a competition to see who can broadcast the weirder stories to all of the students trucking the same way to their next class.

2. She takes just as many L's as you do

Again, like the first tip, you have to make sure you both are on a similar playing field for your weekend regrets. She got stuck outside her dorm for an hour before someone came to unlock it? It's your job to match or top that. May I suggest falling in heels in front of a fraternity rush party? Not speaking from personal experience or anything.

3. Your rooms are filled with reminders of each other

The ratio of photos of your best friend to other friends have to be the same in both parties. Currently, it's about 2:3 in favor of my best friend. Honestly, my dorm wall looks like a shrine of our friendship. Then again, hers does too, and that's exactly how it should be.

4. She's already called dibs on your first born child

It makes it hard to part ways with someone who has claimed your un-conceived future child as their own heir, including rights to a middle name and the title of their God Mother.

5. She knows all of your secrets

You CANNOT have a random running around through life knowing your secrets. Once you've spilled the deets of the darkest corners of your soul or the darkest corners of the frat house you visited last weekend, there's no going back. Sharing secrets is almost like claiming territory on someone. It's a way of saying, "I may be over 500 miles away, but I own you". And you know she owns you, too.

6. You've already established a title as maid of honor

Second to actually getting married, becoming a maid of honor is every girl's dream. It would be more of a pain than it's worth to re-train someone on every exact detail of your bridal shower, bachelorette party, and wedding color scheme ideas.

7. You may love your best friend's parents more than you love your best friend

Listen. If you have chores assigned when you visit your best friend's house, you know you've made it. They have become the second set of parents, and you know they're alway tell you their honest opinion. I personally will admit that some days I may or may not text my best friend's mom more than I test her. Actually, let me correct that statement: I have Facebook Messaged my best friend's mom on days when I didn't feel like talking to my best friend because everyone knows how much cooler Facebook Messenger is. That's true friendship.

8. Your roommate gets confused when she hears you on the phone with them

They get that look when their eyebrows come together and up as if to say, "are you feeling okay?" because you have yet to complete a full coherent sentence. Little does your roommate know that on the other line, your best friend is finishing your sentences, and the conversation is full of secret code names that resemble gibberish to the outside world. These codes may include "goober", "swimmer boy", or "scalpe e be tu bickake"

9. You can't imagine your life without them

Even from across the coast, you can't fathom a day without incessant SnapChatting, Tweeting, or HousePartying each-other. You have plans to live together after college and explore a new town, and you wouldn't want it any other way. She is your rock, your secret vault, and your number one fan. She is your best friend, and never let her go.