Although we are in the middle of our summer, that means it is almost halfway over. Before we know it we will all be back at school or leaving for school for the first time. We are starting to get excited about going back while also realizing that we will be away from our families again. For some of us, however, we will be missing someone else too: a boyfriend/girlfriend.

For those of you in a relationship, it will be difficult to leave your significant other. You’ll go from seeing him/her every day to seeing him/her for a short weekend every few weeks. It may not seem like a long time, but it is. You’ll miss the little weird things he does and just being able to go on last minute Sonic runs for a slushie. You will both be busy at different times and it’ll be hard to find time to talk. The good news is that after a couple of weeks, you two will have each other’s schedule memorized.

If you are thinking so far that long distance sucks, you’re right. You fight and get aggravated with each other really quick and may even come close to breaking up. Sometimes you plan to see each other and those plans don’t always follow through. Something will upset you and all you want is that other person but you can’t be with them at the moment. If you’re like me you will cry (A LOT) because you miss him, are mad at him, or made him mad. Once you see each other, it will be just as sad leaving him as it was when you left after the summer.

So yeah, long distance isn’t fun. But if you're in the relationship for the long run then it is worth it. You learn so much about yourselves and each other. It gives both of you a chance to discover who you are away from the other. You learn to stay patient because you really don’t understand how the other one feels. You may be having a great time while your boyfriend/girlfriend is miserable. When you fight, you have to keep in mind that it is just a fight and it is worth working through. The best feeling, though, is when you see him/her for the first time after being apart. When you see him/her you will remember why you’re in the relationship. Any arguing that has taken place will be forgotten and both of you will be ecstatic just to spend a weekend together.

Summer is quickly coming to an end and saying good-bye won’t be easy, but I do think it is worth it. After all the crying nights, screaming through the phone and just missing your significant other, nothing compares to the way you feel once you see them again. You learn to cherish your time together and his/her strange quirks make you laugh more than before. When times are hard, try and remember why you are with him/her; it will show you all the positives in the relationship instead of the negative thoughts in your mind. You wouldn’t be together if you didn’t care about each other. Everything will work out, but you have to work for it. The end result will definitely be worth it.

Ironically, long distance brings you two closer together.